Question

Hydrogen is the simplest element it has an atomic number of 1. There are three hydrogen isotopes: H1, H2, and H3. Explain how these isotopes differ with respect to their number of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Answer 1

All isotopes of hydrogen will always contain one proton, as a change in the amount of protons will change the substance. Assuming all isotopes aren’t ions and therefore don’t have a charge, then each of these isotopes has one electron. The only difference between them is the amount of neutrons to account for the different atomic masses.

H1
one proton
one electron
zero neutrons

H2
one proton
one electron
one neutron

H3
one proton
one electron
two neutron