Atomic Number The atomic number is a unique number of protons found in the nucleus of each atom of an element. It is this atomic number that determines the...
Atomic Number
The atomic number is a unique number of protons found in the nucleus of each atom of an element. It is this atomic number that determines the element's properties and chemical behavior. For example, elements with the same atomic number tend to exhibit similar chemical properties, while elements with different atomic numbers can have drastically different properties.
Mass Number
The mass number is the total number of protons and neutrons in an atom. It is equal to the atomic number, plus the number of neutrons. The mass number is used to determine the isotope of an element, which is a specific variation of the element with a different number of neutrons. Isotopes have different chemical properties and properties, which can be used for various applications.
For instance, the isotope of hydrogen with 1 proton and 1 neutron is hydrogen-1. The isotope of hydrogen with 2 protons and 1 neutron is hydrogen-2. The isotope of helium with 2 protons and 2 neutrons is helium-4.
The atomic number and mass number are two important properties of an atom that are used in various scientific and chemical calculations