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

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

The model should show 27 protons and 32 neutrons.
The model should show 27 protons and 32 neutrons.

The model should show 32 protons and 59 neutrons.

1 answer

To create a model of a cobalt atom with a mass number of 59 and an atomic number of 27, we need to understand a few key concepts:

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

From this information, we can calculate the number of neutrons:

\[ \text{Number of neutrons} = \text{Mass number} - \text{Atomic number} = 59 - 27 = 32. \]

Therefore, a cobalt atom has:

  • 27 protons
  • 32 neutrons

The correct statement about the model is:

The model should show 27 protons and 32 neutrons.