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?
A. The model should show 27 protons and 32 neutrons
B. The model should show 27 protons and 27 neutrons
C. The model should show 32 protons and 59 neutrons
D. The model should show 59 protons and 27 neutrons
The correct statement is B. The model should show 27 protons and 27 neutrons.
The correct statement about the model of a cobalt atom is:
A. The model should show 27 protons and 32 neutrons
Explanation:
The atomic number of an atom represents the number of protons in its nucleus, while the mass number represents the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus.
In this case, Cobalt (Co) has an atomic number of 27, which means it has 27 protons. Additionally, it has a mass number of 59, which indicates that it has a total of 59 nucleons (protons + neutrons) in its nucleus.
To find the number of neutrons, you can subtract the number of protons (27) from the mass number (59):
Number of neutrons = Mass number - Number of protons
= 59 - 27
= 32
Therefore, the correct model of a cobalt atom should show 27 protons and 32 neutrons.
To determine the correct model of a cobalt atom, you need to understand the composition of an atom. The atomic number represents the number of protons in an atom, while the mass number represents the sum of protons and neutrons.
In this case, the cobalt atom has an atomic number of 27, which means it has 27 protons. The mass number is 59, which is the sum of protons and neutrons. To find the number of neutrons, subtract the atomic number from the mass number.
So, the correct model of a cobalt atom would have 27 protons and (59 - 27 =) 32 neutrons.
Therefore, the correct statement is A. The model should show 27 protons and 32 neutrons.