Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Isotopes
Isotopes are variants of a chemical element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. This results in different mass numbers for the isotopes. For example, germanium has several isotopes, including 70Ge, 73Ge, and 76Ge, each differing in their neutron count while maintaining the same atomic number of 32.
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Atomic Number and Mass Number
The atomic number of an element is the number of protons in its nucleus, which determines the element's identity. The mass number is the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus. For germanium isotopes, the atomic number is always 32, while the mass number varies among the isotopes, reflecting their different neutron counts.
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Subatomic Particles
Subatomic particles include protons, neutrons, and electrons, which make up atoms. Protons are positively charged and found in the nucleus, neutrons are neutral and also located in the nucleus, while electrons are negatively charged and orbit the nucleus. The number of protons defines the element, while the number of neutrons affects the isotope and its stability.
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