Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Chemistry => Topic started by: The Scientist on 03/07/2010 11:45:52

Title: How many types of atoms can you expect to find in a pure sample of any element?
Post by: The Scientist on 03/07/2010 11:45:52
Please elaborate upon explanation. Thanks.
Title: How many types of atoms can you expect to find in a pure sample of any element?
Post by: Bored chemist on 03/07/2010 17:01:35
It depends.
Some substances like iodine have only one stable isotope so all the atoms in a sample of pure iodine are identical.
Tin, on the other hand has a hat full of different isotopes (ten iirc) so a pure tin sample would contain 10 different sorts of atoms.
In practice you will never get a pure sample of a material.