Cobalt has a mass number of 59 and an atomic number of 27. A student wants to create a model of a cobalt
atom. Which statement about the model is correct? (1 point)
The model should show 27 protons and 27 neutrons.
O The model should show 32 protons and 59 neutrons.
O The model should show 59 protons and 27 neutrons.
The model should show 27 protons and 32 neutrons.
The correct statement about the model is:
The model should show 27 protons and 32 neutrons.
The correct statement about the model is: The model should show 27 protons and 32 neutrons.
This is because the atomic number of cobalt is 27, which represents the number of protons in the nucleus of the atom. The mass number of cobalt is 59, which represents the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of the atom. Therefore, to create an accurate model of a cobalt atom, it should show 27 protons and 32 neutrons.
To answer this question, we need to understand the basic structure of an atom. An atom consists of a central nucleus made up of protons and neutrons, with electrons orbiting around the nucleus.
Given that cobalt has a mass number of 59 and an atomic number of 27, we can derive the correct statement regarding the model of a cobalt atom.
The atomic number of an element represents the number of protons in its nucleus. In this case, cobalt has an atomic number of 27, which means it has 27 protons.
The mass number of an atom represents the total number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus. In this case, cobalt has a mass number of 59. Since the atomic number (proton count) is 27, we can calculate the number of neutrons by subtracting the atomic number from the mass number: 59 - 27 = 32 neutrons.
Therefore, the correct statement about the model of a cobalt atom is that it should show 27 protons and 32 neutrons (option D).