Sure! The isotope notation given is for oxygen-18, written as:
[tex]\[
\begin{array}{c}
18 \\
8
\end{array}
\][/tex]
To determine the number of neutrons in this isotope, follow these steps:
1. Mass number (A): The mass number is the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of the atom. For oxygen-18, the mass number is 18.
2. Atomic number (Z): The atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus of the atom. For oxygen, the atomic number is 8 (since the element oxygen always has 8 protons).
3. Number of neutrons (N): To find the number of neutrons in the atom, subtract the atomic number from the mass number.
[tex]\[
\text{Number of neutrons} = \text{Mass number} - \text{Atomic number}
\][/tex]
Now, plugging in the given values:
[tex]\[
\text{Number of neutrons} = 18 - 8 = 10
\][/tex]
So, the oxygen-18 isotope has 10 neutrons in its nucleus.
