Section C: Free-Response Questions

Answer the following questions.

1. A sample of volcanic rock consists of two isotopes of helium, helium-3 and helium-4, in the following
mass ratio:
3
2 He : 42He = 1 : 99

(a) Explain what is meant by the term ‘isotopes’.

Isotopes are atoms of the same element with the same number of protons but different numbers of

neutrons.

(b) (i) State the difference between the atomic structures of helium-3 and helium-4.
A helium-3 atom has two protons and one neutron, while a helium-4 atom has two protons and

two neutrons.

(ii) Explain why helium-3 and helium-4 have similar chemical properties.
The chemical properties of an element depend on its outer electrons which are involved in

chemical reactions. Both helium-3 and helium-4 have two outer electrons. Hence, they have

similar chemical properties.

(c) This sample of volcanic rock also contains hydrogen-3.

(i) Write the symbol of hydrogen-3, showing the atomic and mass numbers.
3
1H

(ii) List one similarity and one difference between hydrogen-3 and helium-3.
Both hydrogen-3 and helium-3 have the same nucleon number. The difference is that hydrogen-3

has two neutrons and one proton, while helium-3 has one neutron and two protons.

2. The table below shows the nucleon numbers and proton numbers of atoms W, X, Y and Z.
(Note: W, X, Y and Z are not chemical symbols of elements.)

Atom Nucleon number Proton number

W 2 1
X 14 6
Y 19 9
Z 37 17

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