Thanks in advance! The most common oxygen isotope is 16 8 O, but the rarer isoto

Question

Thanks in advance!

The most common oxygen isotope is 16 8 O, but the rarer isotopes 17 8 O and 18 8 O of this element also exist in nature. These less common isotopes are stable, and measurements of their abundances have proved crucial in many fields of scientific research. For example, in climate research studies, the ratio of 18 8 O to 16 8 O measured in natural waters, as well as in polar ice, can provide useful information on the precipitation history in a given area. This is because water containing 18 8 O evaporates less readily, and condenses more easily as precipitation, than water containing 16 8 O. What distinguishes two different isotopes of an element is the number of neutrons contained in their nucleus. How many protons and neutrons are there in the nucleus of the heavier oxygen isotope, 18 8 O? Let Z be the number of protons (the atomic number) and N the number of neutrons.

Explanation / Answer

No. of protons(Z) = Atomic number = 8

No. of neutrons (N)= Mass number - Atomic number = 18-8=10

Therefore,

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