Problem 42 - Chemistry An Atoms First Approach

Question

For carbon-14 and carbon-12, how many protons and neutrons are in each nucleus? Assuming neutral atoms, how many electrons are present in an atom of carbon-14 and in an atom of carbon- \(12 ?\)

Step-by-Step Solution

Answer

In carbon-14 and carbon-12, each nucleus contains 6 protons since they are isotopes of the same element - carbon. For carbon-14, there are 8 neutrons (\(14 - 6\)), and for carbon-12, there are 6 neutrons (\(12 - 6\)). In neutral atoms of both isotopes, there are 6 electrons, equal to the number of protons.

Step 1: Understanding atomic structure

An atom is composed of protons, neutrons, and electrons. Protons (positively charged) and neutrons (no charge) are found in the nucleus, while electrons (negatively charged) orbit around the nucleus. The number of protons determines the element, while the number of neutrons can vary, resulting in different isotopes of the same element.

Step 2: Understanding carbon isotopes

Carbon-14 and carbon-12 are both isotopes of carbon. The number in each name represents the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus (called the mass number).

Step 3: Find the number of protons for carbon

Carbon has an atomic number of 6, which means it has 6 protons. This is the same for all isotopes of carbon, including both carbon-14 and carbon-12.

Step 4: Find the number of neutrons for carbon-14 and carbon-12

To find the number of neutrons for each isotope, we must subtract the number of protons (which is 6) from the mass number of each isotope. For carbon-14: Number of neutrons = mass number - number of protons Number of neutrons = 14 - 6 Number of neutrons = 8 For carbon-12: Number of neutrons = mass number - number of protons Number of neutrons = 12 - 6 Number of neutrons = 6

Step 5: Find the number of electrons in neutral atoms

In a neutral atom, the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons. Since carbon has 6 protons, both carbon-14 and carbon-12 have 6 electrons as they are both neutral atoms. Therefore, for both carbon-14 and carbon-12: - Number of protons: 6 - Carbon-14: Number of neutrons: 8, Number of electrons: 6 - Carbon-12: Number of neutrons: 6, Number of electrons: 6

Key Concepts

Carbon Isotopes

Carbon isotopes are like brothers in the carbon family. They all have the same "first name" (carbon) because they share the same number of protons. Every carbon atom has 6 protons, and that’s what makes it carbon. But each isotope has a different "last name", which is the number you see, like 12 or 14. This number tells you the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus. For instance, carbon-14 has a total of 14 protons and neutrons together, while carbon-12 has a total of 12.

• All carbon isotopes have 6 protons.
• Carbon-12 has 6 neutrons.
• Carbon-14 has 8 neutrons.

The difference in the number of neutrons is what makes them different isotopes. Despite these differences, they react very similarly in chemical processes because they have the same number of electrons.

Protons and Neutrons

Think of protons and neutrons as the core team players in an atom, holding most of the mass and hanging out in the nucleus. Protons have a positive charge, while neutrons are neutral, carrying no charge at all. Now, for carbon, every atom of this element proudly carries 6 protons, keeping it ordered in the carbon category of the periodic table. However, neutrons are the wildcards. Their number can change, creating different isotopes of the same element, just like carbon-12 and carbon-14.

• Proton count stays consistent across isotopes: always 6 in carbon.
• Neutrons vary by isotope: 6 in carbon-12, 8 in carbon-14.

When you hear the isotope name, just subtract the number of protons from that name to find out how many neutrons there are.

Neutral Atoms

Neutral atoms are like perfectly balanced scales. They have an equal number of protons and electrons, keeping the charge overall neutral. In a neutral carbon atom, you'll find 6 protons. To keep everything balanced, there are also 6 electrons grooving around the nucleus.

• Total positive charge from protons: +6.
• To balance this, electrons with a total negative charge of -6.

This balance ensures the atom isn't floating with any extra positive or negative feelings! So, whether it's carbon-12 or carbon-14, each has the same serene 6 electrons, acting like well-behaved bookends that ensure stability.