Question

What does the number 14 in carbon-14 represent

Answer 1

It’s called carbon 14 because the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus ( also known as the mass number) adds up to 14 (6+8=14)

Answer 2

In carbon-14, the number 14 represents the mass number of the isotope. Carbon-14 is a radioactive isotope of carbon that contains 6 protons and 8 neutrons in its nucleus, giving it a total mass number of 14. The regular carbon isotope, carbon-12, has 6 protons and 6 neutrons, and its mass number is 12.