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Multiple Choice
Mercury has several isotopes. How many neutrons are present in the most abundant isotope of mercury, Hg-202?
A
100
B
80
C
202
D
122
Verified step by step guidance
1
Identify the atomic number of mercury (Hg), which is the number of protons. Mercury's atomic number is 80.
Recognize that the isotope notation Hg-202 means the isotope has a mass number (A) of 202. The mass number is the sum of protons and neutrons in the nucleus.
Use the formula to find the number of neutrons (N): \(N = A - Z\), where \(A\) is the mass number and \(Z\) is the atomic number.
Substitute the known values into the formula: \(N = 202 - 80\).
Calculate the difference to find the number of neutrons in Hg-202.