The mass number of an ion that consists of 38 protons,50 neutrons and 36 electrons is
A)38.
B)87.62.
C)88.
D)74.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The mass number is equal to the sum of protons and neutrons. So, mass number =38+50=88. However, ions have a charge due to the unequal number of protons and electrons. In this case, there are 36 electrons and 38 protons, giving a net positive charge of +2. Since the mass number already takes into account the neutrons, we do not need to consider them when calculating the ion's mass number. Therefore, the mass number of the ion is 88.

The Mass Number of an Ion That Consists of 38