Question

As compared to \(^{12}_6C\) atom, how many extra protons and neutrons does the \(^{14}_6C\) atom have?

Hint:

The number of protons in isotopes of the same element remains the same, but the number of neutrons can vary.

Answer 1

Step 1: Understanding the carbon isotopes.
The \(^{12}_6C\) atom has 6 protons and 6 neutrons, while the \(^{14}_6C\) atom has 6 protons and 8 neutrons.
Step 2: Comparing the number of protons and neutrons.
- The number of protons remains the same in both isotopes, i.e., 6 protons in both \(^{12}_6C\) and \(^{14}_6C\).
- The number of neutrons in \(^{12}_6C\) is 6, while in \(^{14}_6C\) it is 8. Therefore, the \(^{14}_6C\) atom has 2 extra neutrons compared to \(^{12}_6C\).

Step 3: Conclusion.
The \(^{14}_6C\) atom has 2 extra neutrons compared to \(^{12}_6C\), and the number of protons remains unchanged.