Question

A radioactive nuclide is used to detect eye tumors. An atom of this radionuclide contains 15 protons, 15 electrons, and 17 neutrons. Which is symbol of this radionuclide?

Answer 1

Answer:  $_{15}^{32}\textrm {P}$

Explanation:- Atomic number is the number of protons or the number of electrons.

Mass number is the sum of number of protons and number of neutrons.

Atomic number = number of electrons= number of protons = 15

Mass number = number of protons + number of neutrons= 15+17= 32.

The representation of element is :

where Z= atomic number, A= mass number , X= chemical symbol of element

The representation of the element with atomic number 15 and mass number 32 is :  $_{15}^{32}\textrm {P}$

Answer 2

Knowing that the number of protons of an element is equivalent to its atomic number, it can be determined from the periodic table of elements that this radiosonde is phosphorus. Since the number of its neutrons is 17, it can also be determined that its atomic mass is n + p = 15 + 17 = 32. This means the isotope is phosphorus-32.<span />