Chlorine has two main isotopes: 35^{17}Cl and 37^{17}Cl. Which isotope is the most abundant in nature?

• A. 35^{17}Cl
• B. 37^{17}Cl

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that isotopes are atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons, which means they have different mass numbers but the same atomic number.
2. Recognize that the natural abundance of isotopes refers to the relative percentage of each isotope found in nature for a given element.
3. Recall that chlorine has two main isotopes: \(^{35}_{17}Cl\) and \(^{37}_{17}Cl\), where the superscript indicates the mass number (total protons + neutrons) and the subscript indicates the atomic number (number of protons).
4. Use the fact that the average atomic mass of chlorine (approximately 35.5 amu) is closer to 35 than to 37, which suggests that \(^{35}_{17}Cl\) is more abundant than \(^{37}_{17}Cl\).
5. Conclude that the isotope \(^{35}_{17}Cl\) is the most abundant isotope of chlorine in nature based on its closer contribution to the average atomic mass.