Question

According to the standard notation, find the number of protons, nucleons, neutrons, and electrons of \({ }_{54}^{134}\) Xe.

Short answer

Question: Determine the number of protons, nucleons, neutrons, and electrons in the Xenon (Xe) isotope with the atomic notation \({}_{54}^{134}\) Xe. Answer: In the \({}_{54}^{134}\) Xe isotope, there are 54 protons, 134 nucleons, 80 neutrons, and 54 electrons (in a neutral atom).

Step-by-step solution

Identify the atomic number and the mass number

In the given notation \({}_{54}^{134}\) Xe, the lower number (54) represents the atomic number, and the upper number (134) represents the mass number (also called nucleon number).

Find the number of protons

In any element, the atomic number is equal to the number of protons. Therefore, in \({}_{54}^{134}\) Xe, there are 54 protons.

Find the number of neutrons

The mass number (nucleon number) is the sum of protons and neutrons in the nucleus. We can find the number of neutrons by subtracting the number of protons from the mass number: 134 - 54 = 80. So, there are 80 neutrons in \({}_{54}^{134}\) Xe.

Find the number of electrons

In a neutral atom, the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons (because they balance out the positive and negative charges). Since we found the number of protons to be 54, we can conclude that there are 54 electrons in a neutral \({}_{54}^{134}\) Xe atom.

Summary

For the \({}_{54}^{134}\) Xe isotope, the number of protons is 54, the number of neutrons is 80, the number of nucleons is 134 (mass number), and the number of electrons is 54 (for a neutral atom).

Key concepts

Atomic Number

The atomic number is a fundamental property of an element that defines its identity. It is represented by the letter 'Z'. In standard notation like \({}_{54}^{134}\) Xe, the atomic number is the lower number (54 in this case). This number tells us how many protons are present in the nucleus of an atom.

Since each element has a unique atomic number, this value can also determine the position of the element in the periodic table. For xenon (Xe), the atomic number 54 means:

• The element has 54 protons.
• It is the 54th element in the periodic table.

The significance of the atomic number is crucial in understanding chemical behavior because the number of protons directly affects the element's properties and its ability to bond with other elements.

Additionally, in a neutral atom, the atomic number also equals the number of electrons, which are crucial in defining how atoms interact when forming molecules.

Mass Number

The mass number, denoted as 'A', is a vital concept in understanding atomic structure. It represents the total number of nucleons in an atom, where nucleons are the particles residing in an atom's nucleus.

In \({}_{54}^{134}\) Xe, the mass number of xenon is 134, indicating the sum of protons and neutrons within the nucleus.

• To find the number of neutrons, subtract the atomic number from the mass number: \[ \text{Number of neutrons} = \text{Mass number} - \text{Atomic number} = 134 - 54 = 80. \]
• Consequently, this xenon atom contains 80 neutrons.

Understanding the mass number is important as it gives insights into the isotope of an element. Isotopes are atoms of the same element with the same atomic number but different mass numbers, due to a different number of neutrons. Thus, while all xenon atoms have 54 protons, they might have different numbers of neutrons, leading to different isotopes of xenon.

Neutral Atom

A neutral atom is when the total number of protons equals the total number of electrons. This equality ensures that the atom has no overall electric charge. For an atom like \({}_{54}^{134}\) Xe, with 54 protons, neutrality implies there must also be 54 electrons.

• Protons are positively charged, and electrons carry a negative charge.
• In a neutral atom, these charges balance each other out.

The concept of a neutral atom is key to understanding the basic stability of matter under normal conditions. Atoms often seek to maintain neutrality, which is why electron sharing, gaining, or losing occurs during chemical reactions. This balancing of charges is what allows atoms to combine in regular, predictable ways to form molecules, and it also defines the electrical properties of materials.