Question icon
11 grade chemistry others

Zirconium has an atomic number of 40. How many neutrons are there in an isotope of zirconium₉₂?

Profile image of Aniket Singh
11 Months agoGrade
Answers icon

1 Answer

Profile image of Askiitians Tutor Team
ApprovedApproved Tutor Answer11 Months ago

Zirconium has an atomic number of 40, which means it has 40 protons in its nucleus. To find the number of neutrons in an isotope, you can use the formula:

Calculating Neutrons

The number of neutrons can be calculated by subtracting the atomic number from the mass number of the isotope. For zirconium₉₂, the mass number is 92.

Formula

  • Neutrons = Mass Number - Atomic Number

Applying the Values

Using the values for zirconium₉₂:

  • Mass Number = 92
  • Atomic Number = 40

Now, plug in the numbers:

Neutrons = 92 - 40 = 52

Final Answer

Therefore, the isotope zirconium₉₂ contains 52 neutrons.