Question

The americium isotope ²⁴¹Am is used in smoke detectors. Describe the composition of a neutral atom of this isotope for proton, neutron, and electron?

Short answer

The number ofprotons,neutrons,and electronsin isotopes ²⁴¹Am is 95, 146, and 95, respectively.

Step-by-step solution

Number of neutrons in americium

The atomic mass of the americium isotope is 241.

We know that

$$\begin{gathered} \mathbf{Atomic}\mathbf{}\mathbf{mass}\mathbf{=}\mathbf{Number}\mathbf{}\mathbf{of}\mathbf{}\mathbf{neutrons}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\left(}\mathbf{n}\mathbf{\right)}\mathbf{}\mathbf{+}\mathbf{}\mathbf{number}\mathbf{}\mathbf{of}\mathbf{}\mathbf{protons}\mathbf{}\mathbf{\left(}\mathbf{p}\mathbf{\right)} \\ \mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\text{n = atomic mass -p} \\ \text{n = 241 - 95} \\ \text{n = 146} \\ \mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{}\mathbf{} \end{gathered}$$

Number of electrons in americium

In isotope Americium ²⁴¹_,the number of protons is 95.

Since the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons:

Number of electrons = 95

Therefore, number of neutrons = 146

Thus, the number ofprotons,neutrons,and electronsin the isotope ²⁴¹Am is 95, 146, and 95, respectively.