CAIE A Level Chemistry 9701 · Atomic structure

Atomic structure: explain question

Explain4 marksStandard

Oxygen has three naturally occurring isotopes, X816X28216O\ce{^{16}_{8}O}, X817X28217O\ce{^{17}_{8}O} and X818X28218O\ce{^{18}_{8}O}.

(a) Define the term isotope, in terms of protons and neutrons.

(b) Explain why isotopes of oxygen have the same chemical properties.

(c) A gas jar contains oxygen that is almost entirely X818X28218O\ce{^{18}_{8}O} and an identical jar contains oxygen that is almost entirely X816X28216O\ce{^{16}_{8}O}, at the same temperature and pressure. Explain, using the idea of density, why the first jar has the greater density.

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