We can determine the number of neutrons as #14-6=8# neutrons.Įxample 2. Now write the isotopic notation for carbon-14. Element symbols for chemical elements normally consist of one or two letters from the Latin alphabet and are written with the first letter. Chemical symbols are the abbreviations used in chemistry for chemical elements, functional groups and chemical compounds. The name carbon-14 tells us that this isotope's mass number is #14#. The periodic table, elements being denoted by their symbols. Isotope notation, also known as nuclear notation, is important because it allows us to use a visual symbol to easily determine an isotope's mass number, atomic number, and to determine the number of neutrons and protons in the nucleus without having to use a lot of words.Įxample 1: What is the isotopic notation for the isotope carbon-14?įrom the periodic table, we see that the atomic number (number of protons) for the element carbon is #6#. Interactive periodic table with up-to-date element property data collected from authoritative sources. However, because different isotopes have different numbers of neutrons, they can differ in mass number, which is the sum of the protons and neutrons in the nucleus.

An atom is first identified and labeled according to the number of protons in its nucleus. Every chemical element has one or more isotopes. Insert each symbol into two consecutive blanks below to spell 34. isotope, one of two or more species of atoms of a chemical element with the same atomic number and position in the periodic table and nearly identical chemical behaviour but with different atomic masses and physical properties.

All atoms of the same element have the same number of protons, which is the atomic number of that element. The atomic symbols of 93 chemical elements are shown to the right. Isotopes are atoms of the same element that differ in the number of neutrons in their atomic nuclei.

Atomic symbol