CHEMISTRY YEAR 09 Class activity sheet-06 (Isotopes and nuclides)

Lesson objectives:
By the end of this lesson, about 70% of the learners should be able to:

 Define the terms isotopes, with suitable examples

 State similarities and or difference between isotopes in terms of sub-atomic particles and mass
 Define atomic number and atomic mass.
Recap of previous lesson:
What can you recall about the last lesson?

Prompt for prior knowledge:

What do you known about isotopes?

Isotopes

- Atoms of the same element may have different number of neutrons in their nuclei. This
gives rise to isotopy.
- Definition: Isotopy is the existence of atoms of the same element with different number
of neutrons.
- Atoms of an element that differ only in number of neutrons or mass are called isotopes.
- Definition: Isotopes are atoms of the same element with different number of neutrons in
their nuclei.
- Isotopes are mostly named by stating the name of the element separated from the
mass of the element by a hyphen (-). The only exception is hydrogen.
- Isotopes of hydrogen and carbon are shown on the table below.

Element Name of Number of Number of Number of mass

isotope protons electrons neutrons
Hydrogen 1 1 0 1
Hydrogen Deuterium 1 1 1 2
Tritium 1 1 2 3
Carbon-12 6 6 6 12
Carbon Carbon-13 6 6 7 13
Carbon-14 6 6 8 14

Activity 01: Given atoms A1, A2, A3 and A4 below.

Atom Number of protons Number of electrons Number of neutrons mass

A1 17 17 20 37
A2 18 18 22 40
A3 17 17 18 35
A4 20 20 20 40

(a) From the table, select giving an explanation in each case, two atoms of:
(i) different elements. ………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………...
(ii) the same elements. ………………………………………………………………………
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(b) What term is used to describe the atoms of the same element you have identified in (a) (ii)
above? Explain. ...…………………………………………………………………………...
……………………………………………………………………………………………….
- The nuclide of every atom is represented as X, where:
 A is the atomic mass of the element. Atomic mass is also called mass number or nucleon
number. A particle in the nucleus is called a nucleon
 Z is the atomic number of the element and equal to the number of protons in the nucleus and
also equal to the number of electrons in the neutral atom.
 X is the symbol of the element.
- Definition: A nuclide is an atomic representation that shows the exact number of
protons and neutrons in the nucleus.
- The number of neutrons in an atom is given by N = A – Z; where:
N = number of neutrons, A is the atomic mass of the element, Z = atomic number of element.

Activity 02: Name two examples of nucleons

………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Activity 03: Complete the table for the nuclides given on the table.

Nuclide Number of protons Number of electrons Number of neutrons mass

U
Ca
K
K

Activity 04: Complete the table below by writing the values of A and Z on the atoms P
and Q in order to express P and Q in the form respectively.

Atom Number of protons Number of electrons Number of neutrons

P 53 53 74
Q 13 13 14

Activity 05: A nuclide is given as Br.

(a) State three different terms that are used to describe the number 79 in Br.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
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(b) State two different terms that are used to describe the number 35 in Br.
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……………………………………………………………………………………………………

- The similarities and differences between isotopes are shown on the table below.

Similarities Differences
Isotopes have the same: Isotopes have different:
1 Atomic number (Number of protons) 1 Number of neutrons
2 Number of electrons 2 Atomic masses
3 Chemical properties 3 Physical properties e.g density

Activity 06: Given the two nuclides; B and B.

 (a) What term is used to describe the two nuclides? Explain.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
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(b) State three ways by which the nuclides B and B.
(i) differ from one another.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
(ii) are similar to each other.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

- Definition: Atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom.

- Definition: Atomic mass is the sum of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom.

Activity 07: An element X has 11 protons and 12 neutrons.

(a) State the number of electrons in one atom of element X. ……………...
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
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(b) State the atomic number of element X. ……………...
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(c) Deduce the mass number of element X. ……………...
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Activity 08: Use the definitions below to identify the particle described in each case.
(a) A tiny particle in an atom with a negative charge that moves round the nucleus.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………...……………………………………………………………………………………
(b) A particle in the nucleus of an atom that has no electric charge. ……………...
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………
(c) A particle in the nucleus of an atom with a positive electric charge. ……………...
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………

Assignment
Complete the table below for the two nuclides Cu and Cu which are nuclides of
copper (Cu).

Nuclide Atomic Number of Number of Number of mass Name of

number protons electrons neutrons isotope
Cu
Cu