Question

Carbon-14 has the same ________.
a. atomic number and thus number of neutrons as carbon-13 b. number of protons but more neutrons than carbon-12
c. atomic number and atomic mass as carbon-12
d. atomic mass as both carbon-12 and carbon-13

Answer 1

Answer: b. number of protons but more neutrons than carbon-12

Explanation:

Isotopes are elements which have same atomic number but different mass number.

Atomic number is defined as the number of protons or number of electrons that are present in an electrically neutral atom.

Atomic number = Number of electrons = Number of protons

Mass number is defined as the sum of number of protons and neutrons that are present in an atom.

Mass number = Number of protons + Number of neutrons

a) C-14 , Number of protons = 6

6 + Number of neutrons = 14, Number of neutrons = 8

b) C-13, Number of protons = 6

6 + Number of neutrons = 13, Number of neutrons = 7

c) C-12, Number of protons = 6

6 + Number of neutrons = 12, Number of neutrons = 6

Thus Carbon-14 has the same number of protons but more neutrons than carbon-12