Question

station 8
iron atom: 26 protons, mass number 56.

1. how many electrons does fe³⁺ have?
2. how many neutrons are in this isotope?

Explanation:

Step1: Determine electrons in neutral iron

A neutral iron atom has the same number of electrons as protons. Given iron has 26 protons, a neutral Fe atom has 26 electrons.

Step2: Calculate electrons in Fe³⁺

Fe³⁺ has a 3 - plus charge, meaning it has lost 3 electrons. So the number of electrons is $26 - 3=23$.

Step3: Determine number of neutrons

The mass number is the sum of protons and neutrons. Given mass number = 56 and number of protons = 26, the number of neutrons is $56 - 26 = 30$.

Answer:

1. 23
2. 30