Hydrogen [tex]$(H-1)$[/tex], deuterium [tex]$(H-2)$[/tex], and tritium [tex]$(H-3)$[/tex] are the three isotopes of hydrogen. What are the values of [tex]$a$[/tex], [tex]$b$[/tex], and [tex]$c$[/tex] in the table?

\begin{tabular}{|c|c|c|c|}
\hline
Isotope & Number of Protons & Number of Electrons & Number of Neutrons \\
\hline
[tex]$H-1$[/tex] & 1 & 1 & 0 \\
\hline
[tex]$H-2$[/tex] & [tex]$a$[/tex] & 1 & [tex]$b$[/tex] \\
\hline
[tex]$H-3$[/tex] & 1 & 1 & [tex]$c$[/tex] \\
\hline
\end{tabular}

A. [tex]$a=2, b=3, c=2$[/tex]

B. [tex]$a=1, b=2, c=3$[/tex]

C. [tex]$a=2, b=1, c=3$[/tex]

D. [tex]$a=1, b=1, c=2$[/tex]

E. [tex]$a=1, b=1, c=1$[/tex]



Answer :

Sure! Let's solve the problem step-by-step to identify the values of \( a \), \( b \), and \( c \) in the given table.

We are examining three isotopes of hydrogen: hydrogen-1 (\( H-1 \)), deuterium (\( H-2 \)), and tritium (\( H-3 \)).

First, we know the general characteristics of hydrogen isotopes:
- All isotopes of hydrogen have the same number of protons.
- All isotopes of hydrogen have the same number of electrons.
- The number of neutrons differentiates the isotopes.

Given:

[tex]\[ \begin{array}{|c|c|c|c|} \hline \text{Isotope} & \text{Number of Protons} & \text{Number of Electrons} & \text{Number of Neutrons} \\ \hline \text{[tex]$H -1$[/tex]} & 1 & 1 & 0 \\
\hline \text{[tex]$H -2$[/tex]} & a & 1 & b \\
\hline \text{[tex]$H -3$[/tex]} & 1 & 1 & c \\
\hline
\end{array}
\][/tex]

Step-by-step solution:
1. For \(H -1\) (Protium):
- Number of protons = 1
- Number of electrons = 1
- Number of neutrons = 0

2. For \(H -2\) (Deuterium):
- Number of protons should be the same as \(H-1\), i.e., \( a = 1 \).
- Number of electrons is already given as 1.
- Deuterium has one neutron, thus \( b = 1 \).

3. For \(H -3\) (Tritium):
- Number of protons should be the same as \(H-1\), so it remains 1.
- Number of electrons is already given as 1.
- Tritium has two neutrons, so \( c = 2 \).

Now, filling the values into the table:

[tex]\[ \begin{array}{|c|c|c|c|} \hline \text{Isotope} & \text{Number of Protons} & \text{Number of Electrons} & \text{Number of Neutrons} \\ \hline \text{[tex]$H -1$[/tex]} & 1 & 1 & 0 \\
\hline \text{[tex]$H -2$[/tex]} & 1 & 1 & 1 \\
\hline \text{[tex]$H -3$[/tex]} & 1 & 1 & 2 \\
\hline
\end{array}
\][/tex]

Therefore, the values of \( a \), \( b \), and \( c \) are:
[tex]\[ a = 1, \ b = 1, \ c = 2 \][/tex]

So, the correct option is:
D. [tex]\(a=1, b=1, c=2\)[/tex]

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