Question

Although the original definition of an atoms, was that they were indivisible (uncuttable) and that all atoms of the same element were identical, not all atoms of an element are not all the same and atoms can not be split. Describe any element that exists as a mixture of isotopes and how the atoms of that element are different. Differentiate the terms isotope and nuclide. Describe how atoms can be split.

Answer 1

For example we can take hydrogen which exists in three isotopic form:- H,D and T. All the three isotopes have same atomic number and different mass numbers. They differ in number of neutrons.

Isotope are atoms of an element which have same atomic number but different mass numbers. While nuclide refer to the nucleus of an atom. Nuclides of an isotope differ in number of neutrons.

An atom can be split into electrons, protons and neutrons as shown in various experiments which led to discovery of various subatomic particles.