Question

In which one of the following pairs do the two species resemble each other most closely in chemical properties: (a) 1H1 and 1H1+ (b)14N7 and (14N7)-3 , (c) 12C6 and 13C6? Explain.

Answer 1

Answer:

c.        ₆¹²C   and   ₆¹³C

Explanation:

Properly writing the given options:

  a.   ₁¹H    and    ₁¹H⁺

  b.    ₇¹⁴N    and    ₇¹⁴N³⁻

  c.     ₆¹²C   and   ₆¹³C

Electrons are the crux of chemical reactions. These negatively charged subatomic particles determines chemical properties of atoms and how they combine with other atoms.

Atoms having the same number of electrons especially in their valence shells shares similar chemical properties.

From the problem above, we have been given some information about the atom.

The mass number is given by the superscript before the symbol of the atom and it signifies the sum of the number of protons and neutrons in the atom.

The atomic number is shown by the subscript and it denotes the number of protons in the atom.

For neutral atoms that has not lost or gained any additional electron, the atomic number is the same as the number of electrons.  

The superscript after the atom is the charge on the particle. It represents the number of electrons lost or gained by the atom.

In {c.  ₆¹²C   and   ₆¹³C}, the atom is in a neutral state. Here the atomic number which is 6 is the number of protons in the atom. This is also the number of electrons in the atom. Therefore, the two atoms would have similar chemical properties and behavior.

This is not so for the others as their number electrons are different.