Carbon-13, with an atomic number of 6 and a mass number of 13 has
A) 6 protons, 6 electrons, and 13 neutrons
B) 6 protons, 7 electrons, and 7 neutrons
C) 7 protons, 7 electrons, and 6 neutrons
D) 6 protons, 6 electrons, and 7 neutrons

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Carbon-13 has an atomic number of 6, which means it has 6 protons in the nucleus. The mass number of 13 means it has a total of 13 particles in the nucleus, so the number of neutrons can be found by subtracting the atomic number from the mass number: 13 - 6 = 7 neutrons. The carbon atom is neutral, so it has the same number of electrons as protons, which is 6. Therefore, the correct answer is D) 6 protons, 6 electrons, and 7 neutrons.

Carbon-13, with an Atomic Number of 6 and a Mass