Question

how many neutrons are in the isotope carbon - 14?
a. 8
b. 12.01
c. 6
d. 14

Explanation:

Step1: Recall carbon's atomic number

Carbon has an atomic number of 6, which means it has 6 protons.

Step2: Use the formula for neutron number

The mass - number of Carbon - 14 is 14. The number of neutrons $n$ is calculated by the formula $n = \text{Mass number}-\text{Atomic number}$. So, $n=14 - 6$.

Step3: Calculate the number of neutrons

$14-6 = 8$.

Answer:

A. 8