Correct format for writing Isotopes

I’m not sure whether there is a general rule to how isotopes are meant to be wrote but in videos that I have come across and webpages, they’re all wrote like.

Hydrogen-1,
Hydrogen-2, etc.

In the course that I am doing, they’ve wrote their isotopes like this… ²Hydrogen with the superscript at the beginning. I know the symbol notation requires superscript and subscript before the chemical symbol.

Is there a strict way to write the isotopes? Or are both considered okay?

Regards

Reply 1

jengablocks79

11

I think if you are writing ²H then you should use subscript, however if you are using hydrogen-2 written out, you should make the number big so that it does not get overlooked when marking. Anywhere you can make sure you don't lose marks is very important at the end of it, so make it as clear as possible what you have written.

Reply 2

KingRich

OP

14

Original post by jengablocks79

I think if you are writing ²H then you should use subscript, however if you are using hydrogen-2 written out, you should make the number big so that it does not get overlooked when marking. Anywhere you can make sure you don't lose marks is very important at the end of it, so make it as clear as possible what you have written.

Okay, thank you. I have written it as you’ve suggested above. The questions that I’ve been asked to write have the small superscript with the full element name and as you’ve pointed out, it makes it a little difficult to read. I was tempted to correct their format lol

Original post by KingRich

Okay, thank you. I have written it as you’ve suggested above. The questions that I’ve been asked to write have the small superscript with the full element name and as you’ve pointed out, it makes it a little difficult to read. I was tempted to correct their format lol

The convention is AZE with the A as a superscript and the Z as a subscript (E is the element symbol)

Reply 4

KingRich

OP

14

Original post by charco

The convention is AZE with the A as a superscript and the Z as a subscript (E is the element symbol)

Yep, I’m aware the notation for the symbol is like this. The isotope full name however shouldn’t contain a superscript, right?

Ah, I’ve just realised we can now post photos again!!