Which of the following statements are true? 1. Cu64 will undergo oxidation faster than Cu65 . 2. Cu65 will undergo reduction faster than Cu64 . 3. Cu65 and Cu64have the same number of electrons.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is:
- Statement 1: Cu64 will undergo oxidation faster than Cu65.
- Statement 2: Cu65 will undergo reduction faster than Cu64.
- Statement 3: Cu65 and Cu64 have the same number of electrons. – This statement is true.
Explanation:
- Cu64 will undergo oxidation faster than Cu65.
- True. Copper isotopes, Cu64 and Cu65, differ only in their number of neutrons. Cu64 has 64 nucleons (protons + neutrons), while Cu65 has 65 nucleons. The difference in neutrons does not significantly alter their chemical properties, but isotopes with a lower atomic mass (Cu64) tend to have slightly more stable configurations for oxidation reactions. This makes Cu64 more likely to lose an electron (undergo oxidation) than Cu65 under similar conditions. However, the difference in oxidation rates between isotopes of copper is typically small, but still present due to mass and nuclear effects.
- Cu65 will undergo reduction faster than Cu64.
- False. Reduction involves the gain of electrons. Cu65, being slightly heavier than Cu64, may have a minor difference in reduction tendencies due to mass effects, but this difference is negligible. Both isotopes of copper are chemically identical in most contexts, as they have the same electron configuration and participate in redox reactions similarly. There is no significant evidence to suggest that Cu65 would reduce faster than Cu64.
- Cu65 and Cu64 have the same number of electrons.
- True. The number of electrons in an atom is determined by the number of protons, which defines the element. Since both Cu64 and Cu65 are isotopes of copper, they have the same number of protons (29). Therefore, they must both have 29 electrons when they are neutral. The difference between them lies in the number of neutrons, not electrons.
In summary, the isotopes Cu64 and Cu65 behave almost identically in terms of chemical reactivity, with only very minor effects due to differences in mass. The true differences are generally not significant in most chemical reactions, especially oxidation and reduction.