Vanadium has an atomic number of 23. How many neutrons are present in the most abundant isotope of vanadium?

• A. 23
• B. 50
• C. 35
• D. 28

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the atomic number of vanadium, which is given as 23. The atomic number represents the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom.
2. Understand that the most abundant isotope of an element is usually the one with the mass number closest to the average atomic mass found on the periodic table. For vanadium, the most abundant isotope has a mass number of 51.
3. Recall that the mass number (A) is the sum of protons and neutrons in the nucleus: \(A = Z + N\), where \(Z\) is the atomic number (protons) and \(N\) is the number of neutrons.
4. Rearrange the formula to solve for the number of neutrons: \(N = A - Z\).
5. Substitute the values for the most abundant isotope of vanadium: \(N = 51 - 23\). This will give the number of neutrons in the most abundant isotope.