Question

How many neutrons are present in carbon-14?

Answer 1

Hint: The answer here is based on the basic concept of chemistry which makes use of formula to find the number of protons, neutrons and electrons which is based on the periodic table and the formula is therefore given by, number of protons = mass number – number of neutrons

Complete answer:
We are familiar with the concepts of atoms, its structure, composition and also the properties about it from the basic concepts of chemistry which we studied in the chapters of chemistry.
Let us now recall those concepts so that we can approach the correct answer.
- An atom is the smallest particle that can exist which builds the entire universe. It is composed of a central nucleus in which positively charged species called protons and the neutral species called neutrons are situated.
- The electrons that are negatively charged species are revolving around the orbit of the nucleus.
- The protons are nothing but the one which gives the atom their atomic number and also the number of protons are always equal to the number of electrons and therefore they are equal.
- Neutrons and protons together make up the mass of an element and the number of neutrons present can be calculated using the mass number which is given by the formula, number of protons = mass number – number of neutrons.
- Here, the carbon14 is the isotope of the carbon-12 atom where the mass number is 14. Carbon with atomic number 6 have total protons 6 and also total electrons 6.
Now, according to the formula , number of protons = mass number – number of neutrons or $n_p=m-n_n$
Substituting the values, we get
$$n_n=14-6=8$$
Therefore, the total number of neutrons present in carbon-14 is 8.

Note:
Note that the atomic number of an element is a constant number and does not change but the mass number of an element can change with the same atomic number and they are called as the isotopes of that element that are the atoms with the same atomic number but different mass numbers are called isotopes.