What is the difference between carbon-13 and carbon-14?
A. the number of electrons
B. the number of neutrons
C. the number of nuclei
Please help me and explain the answer and how you got it. I'm really struggling in this class.
the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom (atomic number), determines what element it is
elements can have different isotopes
... atoms with the same number of protons, but different numbers of neutrons
carbon has 6 protons in the nucleus (and 6 electrons outside)
... carbon-13 has 7 neutrons , carbon-14 has 8 neutrons
The difference between carbon-13 and carbon-14 is in the number of neutrons in their atomic nuclei.
To understand this, we need to know a little bit about the structure of atoms. An atom consists of a central nucleus that contains positively charged protons and uncharged neutrons. Surrounding the nucleus are negatively charged electrons. The number of protons in an atom determines its atomic number and the type of element it is. Carbon, for example, has an atomic number of 6, which means it has 6 protons in its nucleus.
Carbon-13 and carbon-14 are both isotopes of carbon, which means they have the same number of protons (6) but different numbers of neutrons. Carbon-13 has 7 neutrons, while carbon-14 has 8 neutrons.
So the correct answer is B. the difference between carbon-13 and carbon-14 is the number of neutrons in their nuclei.
To determine the number of neutrons in an isotope, you can simply subtract the atomic number (the number of protons) from the mass number (the total number of protons and neutrons). In the case of carbon-13, you subtract 6 from 13 (13 - 6 = 7), giving you 7 neutrons. For carbon-14, you subtract 6 from 14 (14 - 6 = 8), giving you 8 neutrons.
Understanding isotopes and their differences is important in fields such as radiocarbon dating and nuclear chemistry. It's great that you're seeking help to understand these concepts better!