Isotopes are Atoms With

Question

Isotopes are atoms with
A)the same number of electrons and protons.
B)different numbers of protons and electrons.
C)the same numbers of protons but a different number of neutrons.
D)different numbers of electrons.

Accepted Answer

Isotopes are atoms that have the same number of protons (atomic number) but a different number of neutrons (different mass numbers). Therefore, they have the same number of electrons as the element's atomic number determines the number of electrons in a neutral atom. Option A is incorrect as isotopes have a different number of neutrons, leading to a different mass number. Option B is incorrect as isotopes have the same number of protons, leading to the same atomic number. Option D is incorrect as isotopes have the same number of electrons as the atomic number of the element determines the number of electrons in a neutral atom.