Question

What does an atom of nitrogen-16 contain?

A) Seven protons, eight neutrons, and eight electrons.
B) Seven protons, eight neutrons, and seven electrons.
C) Seven protons, seven neutrons, and eight electrons.
D) Six protons, nine neutrons, and seven electrons.

Answer 1

A nitrogen-16 atom has seven protons, eight neutrons, and seven electrons, resulting from its atomic number (7) and mass number (16).

Step-by-step explanation:

An atom of nitrogen-16 contains seven protons, eigth neutrons, and seven electrons. The atomic number of nitrogen, which is the number of protons in the nucleus, is seven. The mass number of nitrogen-16 indicates the total number of protons and neutrons, which equals sixteen.

With seven protons accounted for, the remainder of the mass number is made up of neutrons, which is eight in the case of nitrogen-16. Since a neutral atom has an equal number of protons and electrons, this atom would also have seven electrons.