Question

A carbon-12 atom has 6 protons, 6 neutrons, and 6 electrons. How many protons does a carbon-14 atom have? A) 6 B) 8 C) 12 D) 14

Answer 1

Answer: Carbon-14 has an atomic mass of 14 ( = 6 protons + 8 neutrons).

Answer 2

A) 6

Step-by-step explanation:

The number of protons is the defining characteristic of an element. This means that a carbon atom has always 6 protons.

Isotopes are atoms of the same element, equal number of protons, and different number of neutrons.

The carbon-12 atom has 6 protons and 6 neutrons.

The carbon-14 atom has 6 protons and 8 neutrons.