Asked by severia
Why do the isotopes of a particular element behave differently in nuclear reactions but the same in chemical reactions? Check all that apply.
Chemical reactions involve changes to electrons in an atom; isotopes do not differ in electrons, and so they react the same way during chemical changes.
Chemical reactions involve changes to protons and neutrons in an atom; isotopes do not differ in protons or neutrons, and so they react the same way during chemical changes.
Nuclear reactions involve changes to protons and neutrons in an atom; isotopes differ in neutrons, and so they react differently to these changes.
Nuclear reactions involve changes to electrons in an atom; isotopes differ in electrons, and so they react differently to these changes.
All Answers 1
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Correct choices: 1 and 3.
- Chemical reactions involve changes to electrons in an atom; isotopes do not differ in electrons, and so they react the same way during chemical changes. (True — chemical identity is determined by electron configuration/atomic number.)
- Nuclear reactions involve changes to protons and neutrons in an atom; isotopes differ in neutrons, and so they react differently to these changes. (True — nuclear behavior depends on neutron number, so isotopes differ in stability and nuclear reaction behavior.)
The other two statements are false:
- Chemical reactions do not generally change protons/neutrons.
- Nuclear reactions involve the nucleus (protons/neutrons), not electrons.
(Note: there can be small chemical rate differences between isotopes — kinetic isotope effects — but their electronic/chemical identities are the same.)
- Chemical reactions involve changes to electrons in an atom; isotopes do not differ in electrons, and so they react the same way during chemical changes. (True — chemical identity is determined by electron configuration/atomic number.)
- Nuclear reactions involve changes to protons and neutrons in an atom; isotopes differ in neutrons, and so they react differently to these changes. (True — nuclear behavior depends on neutron number, so isotopes differ in stability and nuclear reaction behavior.)
The other two statements are false:
- Chemical reactions do not generally change protons/neutrons.
- Nuclear reactions involve the nucleus (protons/neutrons), not electrons.
(Note: there can be small chemical rate differences between isotopes — kinetic isotope effects — but their electronic/chemical identities are the same.)
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