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What can form as a result of a chemical reaction? compounds isotopes alpha particles beta particles
2. Atoms & Elements
Atomic Theory
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Which of the following statements about a carbon-12 atom is true?
A
A carbon-12 atom has 6 protons and 12 neutrons held together by strong nuclear forces.
B
A carbon-12 atom has 12 protons and 12 neutrons held together by strong nuclear forces.
C
A carbon-12 atom has 12 protons and 6 neutrons held together by strong nuclear forces.
D
A carbon-12 atom has 6 protons and 6 neutrons held together by strong nuclear forces.
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the concept of isotopes: Isotopes are atoms of the same element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. Carbon-12 is an isotope of carbon.
Identify the atomic number of carbon: The atomic number of an element is the number of protons in its nucleus. Carbon has an atomic number of 6, which means it has 6 protons.
Determine the number of neutrons in carbon-12: The mass number of an isotope is the sum of protons and neutrons in the nucleus. For carbon-12, the mass number is 12. Use the formula: \( \text{Number of neutrons} = \text{Mass number} - \text{Atomic number} \).
Calculate the number of neutrons: Substitute the values into the formula: \( \text{Number of neutrons} = 12 - 6 \). This calculation shows that carbon-12 has 6 neutrons.
Conclude the correct statement: Based on the calculations, a carbon-12 atom has 6 protons and 6 neutrons held together by strong nuclear forces.
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