Using the information in Table 2.1, answer the following...

Using the information in Table $2.1$, answer the following questions. In an ion with an unknown charge, the total mass of all the electrons was determined to be $2.55 \times 10^{-26} \mathrm{~g}$. while the total mass of its protons was $5.34 \times 10^{-23} \mathrm{~g}$. What is the identity and charge of this ion? What is the symbol and mass number of a neutral atom whose total mass of its electrons is $3.92 \times 10^{-26} \mathrm{~g}$, while its neutrons have a mass of $9.35 \times 10^{-23} \mathrm{~g}$ ?

Key Concepts

Atomic Mass and Mass Number

The atomic mass is the total mass of an atom’s protons, neutrons, and electrons, whereas the mass number is the sum of protons and neutrons only. This concept is key to identifying the specific isotope of an element, as isotopes of the same element have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.

Ion Charge and Ionization

An ion is an atom or molecule that has gained or lost electrons, leading to a net electrical charge. The deviation from an equal number of protons and electrons determines the ion’s overall charge. Understanding the concept of ionization is crucial when analyzing the difference between the total masses of electrons and protons in an ion.

Isotopes and Atomic Identity

Isotopes are variants of the same element that differ in neutron number. Determining an atom’s isotope often involves calculating the number of protons from the element’s identity, and using additional information, such as measured masses or counts of neutrons, to pinpoint the isotope. This concept links the mass information to the specific element and its isotopic form.

Atomic Structure

This concept refers to the internal composition of atoms, which are made up of electrons, protons, and neutrons. Understanding how these subatomic particles are arranged and how they contribute to an atom's properties is fundamental to interpreting problems that involve mass measurements and particle counts.

Subatomic Particle Masses

Knowledge of the approximate masses of electrons, protons, and neutrons is essential for calculating the number of each particle present in an atom or ion. This concept is used to relate measured total masses to the individual masses of these particles, thereby helping to deduce the atom’s or ion’s composition.

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