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 abt the model is correct?

Answer 1

To create a model of a cobalt atom, the student should keep in mind the following key points based on the information provided:

1. Atomic Number (27): The atomic number represents the number of protons in the nucleus of the atom. Therefore, a cobalt atom has 27 protons.

2. Mass Number (59): The mass number is the sum of protons and neutrons in the nucleus. For cobalt with a mass number of 59, and knowing there are 27 protons (from the atomic number), we can calculate the number of neutrons as follows: \[ \text{Number of Neutrons} = \text{Mass Number} - \text{Number of Protons} = 59 - 27 = 32 \] Thus, cobalt has 32 neutrons.

3. Electrons: In a neutral cobalt atom, the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons, so there are also 27 electrons.

Correct Statement:

A correct statement about the model of a cobalt atom would be: "A cobalt atom contains 27 protons, 32 neutrons, and 27 electrons."

This statement accurately reflects the composition of a neutral cobalt atom based on the provided atomic and mass numbers.