Define the term isotope.
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atoms of the same element / same proton number; with different numbers of neutrons / different mass numbers / different nucleon numbers;
Isotopes
An atom is represented by ³⁷₁₇Cl. State the number of protons, neutrons and electrons in one neutral atom of this isotope.
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protons = 17; neutrons = 20 (from 37 − 17); electrons = 17;
Chlorine exists naturally as two isotopes, ³⁵₁₇Cl and ³⁷₁₇Cl. State one chemical property and one physical property in which these two isotopes differ or agree, and justify your answer.
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chemical property — identical / both react the same way (e.g. both form NaCl with sodium); because they have the same number of electrons / same electron configuration; physical property — ³⁷₁₇Cl has greater mass / greater density than ³⁵₁₇Cl because it contains 2 more neutrons;
Explain, in terms of subatomic particles, why isotopes of the same element have identical chemical properties but different physical properties.
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isotopes have the same number of protons / same proton number; therefore the same number of electrons in a neutral atom; therefore the same electron configuration; chemical reactions depend on electrons / electron arrangement, so chemical properties are identical; isotopes have different numbers of neutrons; this gives them different masses / different mass numbers; greater neutron number gives greater mass and greater density (since atomic volume is essentially unchanged);