4
AssignmentMultiple Choice

Neutralization Reactions

Question 4 • Foothill-B Period-Chemistry-26/27B

Which of these conditions most likely produces an unstable isotope?

Answer
A
equal numbers of protons and neutrons in a small nucleus
B
equal numbers of protons and neutrons in a large nucleus
C
more neutrons than protons in a nucleus
D
more electrons than protons in an atom

Explanation

Large nuclei contain many positively charged protons, whose electrical repulsion makes the nucleus harder to hold together. A stable large nucleus therefore needs extra neutrons to add strong nuclear attraction without adding more electric repulsion. With equal numbers of protons and neutrons, a large nucleus often has too few neutrons to be stable; thus, equal numbers in a large nucleus is the best choice.

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.

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