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To completely specify the type of atom, you would have to know the element and the isotope - that is, the number of protons and the number of neutrons. If either of these is different, you have a different type of atom. Isotopes of different elements (i.e., different number of protons) may have the same number of neutrons: in total, 118 elements are known (the number of protons can go from 1-118), but over 3000 types of atoms or isotopes are known.
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoBecause, the same general element can have different numbers of neutrons, but still be the same element.
EX: Lithium isotope, lithium ion, and a less stable lithium isotope.
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Can you identify an atom without number of neutrons in it?
Every element has a specific number of protons, which is how an element is identified. That gives its atomic number. The number of neutrons can vary, and therefore is not useful in identifying an element.
Can you identify an atom without knowing number of neutrons in it?
Yes, and in order to find the Number of Neutrons, subtract Atomic Mass from Number Of Protons, the result will be the Number of Neutrons for that atom *No. Of Neutron=Atomic Mass - Number Of Protons
Which particle is used to identify isotopes of an element?
An element alwys has the same number of electrons and protons no matter what the isotope - so the answer is the neutrons determine the isotope.
How can two atoms of the same element have different numbers of neutrons why doesnt the different number of neutrons make it a different element?
Neutrons have no significant effects on an atom's properties other than its mass. Nearly all chemical and physical properties of an element are determined by the configuration and number of electrons it has, which is in turn determined by the number of protons in the nucleus. As a result two atoms of the same element but with different numbers of neutrons (called isotopes) will behave identically.
What are atoms that have the same element but different neutrons?
IsotopesThe number of protons in the nucleus of an atom determines the element. The number of neutrons can vary. If two atoms of the same element have a different number of neutrons in their nuclei, they are isotopes of that element.
What number identify an element?
The atomic number of an element is equal to the number of protons in the nucleus of that element; it will identify the element. The number of neutrons of a given element may be different as the element may have a number of isotopes.
Can you identify an atom without number of neutrons in it?
Every element has a specific number of protons, which is how an element is identified. That gives its atomic number. The number of neutrons can vary, and therefore is not useful in identifying an element.
Why must you know both how many protons and how many neutrons an element has in order to fully identify it?
The number of protons determine what element it is, the number of neutrons determine what isotope it is.
Can you identify an atom without knowing number of neutrons in it?
Yes, and in order to find the Number of Neutrons, subtract Atomic Mass from Number Of Protons, the result will be the Number of Neutrons for that atom *No. Of Neutron=Atomic Mass - Number Of Protons
Can atoms of two different elements have the same number of neutrons?
Number of protons in in an element denote the type of element. So you identify element on the number of protons in it. Protons being positively charged can not sit together in a nucleus. They will repel each other. So you do not have an element in which only 2 or more protons and no neutrons are there.It means neutrons act as binding material in an element. So usually equal or more neutrons are there in an element. If same number of neutrons are there in nucleus but different number of protons, then it is no more a same but different element. An element in which different number of neutrons are there are called as Isotope. All element have got one or more Isotopes. So there 'physical' properties would differ but not 'chemical' property.
Which particle is used to identify isotopes of an element?
An element alwys has the same number of electrons and protons no matter what the isotope - so the answer is the neutrons determine the isotope.
Any element can always be identified by its?
The atomic number of an element is equal to the number of protons in the nucleus of that element; it will identify the element. The number of neutrons of a given element may be different as the element may have a number of isotopes.
How can two atoms of the same element have different numbers of neutrons why doesnt the different number of neutrons make it a different element?
Neutrons have no significant effects on an atom's properties other than its mass. Nearly all chemical and physical properties of an element are determined by the configuration and number of electrons it has, which is in turn determined by the number of protons in the nucleus. As a result two atoms of the same element but with different numbers of neutrons (called isotopes) will behave identically.
What are the element number of neutrons?
Number of Neutrons = Mass number - Number of Protons
What does the atomic number reference?
The atomic number of an element is given based on the number of protons in the nucleus of all the atoms of that particular element. This applies regardless of the number of neutrons or electrons in any atom of that element. Atoms are initially classified according to the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom, and this will identify which element the atom is. We know that the number of neutrons a given atom of any element can vary, and these will be classified as isotopes of that element. We also know that the number of electrons in any atom will vary, too. Atoms with a neutral charge will have the same number of electrons as protons, but the number of electrons can vary for a number of reasons. The number of protons, however will allow an investigator to identify an atom as being a particular element, and the atom will be further classified from there according to the number of neutrons and/or electrons it has.
Isotopes of an element have a different number of?
neutrons
Finding the number of neutrons in an element?
Number of neutrons = mass number - number of protons
