College

How do the three isotopes Sn-116, Sn-118, and Sn-119 differ?

A. Sn-116 has 166 neutrons, Sn-118 has 168 neutrons, and Sn-119 has 169 neutrons.
B. Sn-116 has 116 neutrons, Sn-118 has 118 neutrons, and Sn-119 has 119 neutrons.
C. Sn-116 has 66 neutrons, Sn-118 has 68 neutrons, and Sn-119 has 69 neutrons.
D. Sn-116 has 50 neutrons, Sn-118 has 52 neutrons, and Sn-119 has 53 neutrons.

Answer :

To understand how the isotopes Sn-116, Sn-118, and Sn-119 differ, we need to look at their neutron numbers. Tin (Sn) has an atomic number of 50, which means all its isotopes have 50 protons. The difference between isotopes is in the number of neutrons.

For each isotope, the mass number is the sum of protons and neutrons. We can find the number of neutrons by subtracting the atomic number (number of protons) from the mass number.

Here's a step-by-step breakdown:

1. Sn-116:
- Mass number = 116
- Number of protons (atomic number) = 50
- Number of neutrons = Mass number - Number of protons = 116 - 50 = 66

2. Sn-118:
- Mass number = 118
- Number of protons = 50
- Number of neutrons = Mass number - Number of protons = 118 - 50 = 68

3. Sn-119:
- Mass number = 119
- Number of protons = 50
- Number of neutrons = Mass number - Number of protons = 119 - 50 = 69

Based on these calculations, Sn-116 has 66 neutrons, Sn-118 has 68 neutrons, and Sn-119 has 69 neutrons. Therefore, the correct choice is C.