Silver has an atomic number of 47.
a. Give the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons in a neutral atom of the most common isotope, Ag-107.
b. How do the numbers of protons, neutrons, and electrons in a neutral atom of Ag-109 compare with those of Ag-107?
The correct answer and explanation is :
Answer:
(a) Number of subatomic particles in Ag-107 (Silver-107):
- Protons: 47 (since the atomic number of silver is 47)
- Electrons: 47 (in a neutral atom, the number of electrons equals the number of protons)
- Neutrons: 107 – 47 = 60 (Mass number – Atomic number)
(b) Comparison of Ag-109 and Ag-107:
- Protons: Both Ag-107 and Ag-109 have 47 protons (because they are both silver atoms).
- Electrons: Both Ag-107 and Ag-109 have 47 electrons in their neutral state.
- Neutrons: Ag-109 has 109 – 47 = 62 neutrons, which is two more neutrons than Ag-107.
Explanation:
Silver has two naturally occurring isotopes: Ag-107 and Ag-109. The term “isotope” refers to atoms of the same element that have the same number of protons and electrons but differ in their number of neutrons. Since the chemical properties of an element are determined primarily by its number of protons and electrons, Ag-107 and Ag-109 exhibit similar chemical behavior despite having different neutron counts.
The primary distinction between Ag-107 and Ag-109 lies in their atomic mass and nuclear stability. Ag-107 has 60 neutrons, whereas Ag-109 has 62 neutrons. This difference in neutrons results in a slightly heavier atomic mass for Ag-109, but it does not affect the element’s charge or reactivity.
In practical applications, both isotopes of silver are used in industry and scientific research. Ag-107 is the most abundant isotope, constituting approximately 51.8% of naturally occurring silver, while Ag-109 makes up the remaining 48.2%. The difference in neutron numbers can influence certain nuclear properties, such as isotope stability and behavior in nuclear reactions.
Thus, the main difference between Ag-107 and Ag-109 is that Ag-109 has two more neutrons, making it slightly heavier, but both isotopes share identical chemical properties due to having the same number of protons and electrons.