Cobalt has a mass number of 59 and an atomic number of 27. A student wants to create a model of a cobalt atom. Which statement about the model is correct?(1 point)

Responses

The model should show 27 protons and 27 neutrons.
The model should show 27 protons and 27 neutrons.

The model should show 59 protons and 27 neutrons.
The model should show 59 protons and 27 neutrons.

The model should show 32 protons and 59 neutrons.
The model should show 32 protons and 59 neutrons.

The model should show 27 protons and 32 neutrons.

1 answer

To create a model of a cobalt atom with a mass number of 59 and an atomic number of 27, it is important to understand what these numbers represent:

  • The atomic number (27) indicates the number of protons in the atom.
  • The mass number (59) is the total number of protons and neutrons in the atom.

To find the number of neutrons, you can subtract the number of protons from the mass number:

Number of neutrons = Mass number - Atomic number = 59 - 27 = 32.

Therefore, the correct statement about the model is:

The model should show 27 protons and 32 neutrons.