Question

C-12 is an isotope of Carbon; what is its atomic number and its atomic mass number?

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

Given isotope;

C - 12

Unknown:

Atomic number = ?

Atomic mass = ?

Solution:

Isotopes of an element have the same electronic configuration but only differ in their masses. They have the same atomic number but different mass numbers due to the differences in the number of neutrons in their various nuclei.

For carbon; atomic number = 6

Atomic mass of this isotope = 12

The atomic number is the number of protons

Atomic mass is the number of protons and neutrons