Final answer:
The difference between carbon-12, carbon-13, and carbon-14 is their mass number, reflecting the different number of neutrons. They all have the same atomic number (6), corresponding to the number of protons, which defines them as carbon. The mass numbers are 12, 13, and 14 for carbon-12, carbon-13, and carbon-14, respectively.
Step-by-step explanation:
The difference between the atoms of carbon-12, carbon-13, and carbon-14 lies in their mass number. Each carbon atom has an atomic number of 6, indicating that they all have 6 protons. However, they differ in their mass numbers, which is the sum of protons and neutrons in the atom's nucleus.
Carbon-12 has 6 neutrons (6 protons + 6 neutrons = 12), carbon-13 has 7 neutrons (6 protons + 7 neutrons = 13), and carbon-14 has 8 neutrons (6 protons + 8 neutrons = 14). These varying numbers of neutrons make them different isotopes of carbon. The mass number helps to differentiate these isotopes; it does not affect the atomic number which remains constant at 6.
Answer choice (a) is the correct one: The mass number and atomic number of carbon-13 is 13 and 6, while that of carbon-12 is 12 and 6, respectively.