PHYSICS

JAMB 2018 - Question 16

Physics 2018 JAMB Past Questions - Question 16: Which of the following statements are TRUE of isotopes? I. Isotopes of an element have the same chemical properties because they have the same number of electrons II. Isotopes of elements are normally seperated using physical properties III. Isotopes of an element have the same number of protons in their nuclei.

Choose the correct answers from the options given.
Which of the following statements are TRUE of isotopes? I. Isotopes of an element have the same chemical properties because they have the same number of electrons II. Isotopes of elements are normally seperated using physical properties III. Isotopes of an element have the same number of protons in their nuclei.
A:
B:
C:
D:
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Correct Answer

A

Explanation

Of the statements you provided, only statement III is true. Isotopes of an element have the same number of protons in their nuclei.

Statement I is false. Isotopes of an element have different numbers of neutrons, which affects their atomic mass. This difference in atomic mass can lead to variations in chemical behavior.

Statement II is also false. Isotopes of elements are typically separated using techniques such as mass spectrometry or radioactive decay, which are based on the differences in the mass or stability of the isotopes. These techniques rely on the physical properties of the isotopes, not their chemical properties.