Question

Which of the following statements about the atom C is FALSE?

Its atomic number is 6.
Its atomic weight is 12.
It has 6 electrons orbiting the nucleus.
It has 12 neutrons in its nucleus.
It has 6 protons in its nucleus

Answer 1

The FALSE statement about the atom Carbon (C) is:

**It has 12 neutrons in its nucleus.**

Carbon typically has 6 neutrons (in its most common isotope, carbon-12). The atomic number of carbon is indeed 6, meaning it has 6 protons and, in its neutral state, 6 electrons. Its atomic weight is approximately 12 atomic mass units, primarily due to the 6 protons and 6 neutrons.