How many neutrons are contained in an iodine nucleus with a mass number of 130
The correct answer and explanation is:
The number of neutrons in an iodine nucleus with a mass number of 130 can be calculated using the following formula:
Number of neutrons = Mass number – Atomic number
Iodine has an atomic number of 53, which means it has 53 protons in its nucleus. The mass number is the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus, so for iodine with a mass number of 130, we can use the formula:
Number of neutrons = 130 – 53
This gives:
Number of neutrons = 77
So, an iodine nucleus with a mass number of 130 contains 77 neutrons.
Explanation
In atoms, the nucleus is composed of protons and neutrons. Protons are positively charged particles, while neutrons have no charge. The atomic number, which is unique to each element, indicates the number of protons in the nucleus. For iodine, this number is 53. The mass number represents the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus.
The mass number can vary for isotopes of an element, as isotopes differ in the number of neutrons they contain while maintaining the same number of protons. In this case, iodine-130 is an isotope of iodine with a mass number of 130, and the number of neutrons can be calculated by subtracting the atomic number (53) from the mass number (130). This gives us the number of neutrons as 77.
This process applies to all elements. By knowing the atomic number and mass number, you can determine the number of neutrons in any isotope of an element.