how many protons, electrons and neutrons are present in an atom of carbon, C, with the mass of 12?

Question

6 protons 12 electrons 6 neutrons
12 protons 6 electrons 12 neutrons
6 protons 6 electrons 6 neutrons
12 protons 12 electrons 12 neutrons

Answer 1

An atom of carbon (C) with a mass number of 12 has the following subatomic particles:

• Protons: The atomic number of carbon is 6, which means it has 6 protons.

• Electrons: In a neutral atom, the number of electrons equals the number of protons, so it has 6 electrons.

• Neutrons: The mass number (12) is the sum of protons and neutrons. To find the number of neutrons, you subtract the number of protons from the mass number:

  \[ \text{Neutrons} = \text{Mass number} - \text{Protons} = 12 - 6 = 6 \text{ neutrons} \]

Thus, the correct answer is:

6 protons, 6 electrons, and 6 neutrons.