Complete the following table for the three naturally occurring isotopes of silicon, the major component in computer chips: (4.4, 4.5)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the isotopic symbol given in the table, which is \( ^{40}_{19}\text{K} \).
2. Determine the atomic number from the isotopic symbol, which is the subscript number (19) representing the number of protons.
3. The mass number is the superscript number (40) in the isotopic symbol, representing the total number of protons and neutrons.
4. Calculate the number of neutrons by subtracting the atomic number from the mass number: \( \text{Number of Neutrons} = \text{Mass Number} - \text{Atomic Number} = 40 - 19 \).
5. Since the atom is neutral, the number of electrons equals the number of protons, which is 19.

Key Concepts

Isotopes

Isotopes are variants of a chemical element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. This results in different mass numbers for the isotopes. For example, silicon has three naturally occurring isotopes: Si-28, Si-29, and Si-30, each differing in neutron count while maintaining the same atomic number of 14.

Atomic Number and Mass Number

The atomic number of an element is the number of protons in its nucleus, which defines the element itself. The mass number is the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus. For silicon, the atomic number is 14, while the mass numbers of its isotopes vary based on their neutron counts, such as 28 for Si-28.

Particle Counts

In an atom, the number of protons equals the number of electrons, ensuring electrical neutrality. The number of neutrons can be calculated by subtracting the atomic number from the mass number. For instance, Si-28 has 14 protons and 14 neutrons, leading to 14 electrons, while Si-29 has 14 protons and 15 neutrons.