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Which statement correctly compares an atom of boron-11 and an atom of carbon-14?

a) Boron-11 has more protons than carbon-14.
b) Carbon-14 has more neutrons than boron-11.
c) Boron-11 has more electrons than carbon-14.
d) Carbon-14 has a higher atomic number than boron-11.

1 Answer

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Final answer:

The correct comparison between an atom of boron-11 and an atom of carbon-14 is that carbon-14 has more neutrons than boron-11.

The correct statement is a) Boron-11 has more protons than carbon-14.

Step-by-step explanation:

When comparing an atom of boron-11 and an atom of carbon-14, the correct statement is that carbon-14 has more neutrons than boron-11. The atomic number of an element is equal to the number of protons in its nucleus, and the atomic number for boron is 5, while for carbon it is 6. Therefore, an atom of boron-11 has 5 protons and 6 neutrons (11 - 5 = 6), whereas an atom of carbon-14 has 6 protons and 8 neutrons (14 - 6 = 8). This means statement b) Carbon-14 has more neutrons than boron-11 is the correct one.

To give more context, carbon-12 and carbon-13 have six and seven neutrons respectively (a. Carbon-12 contains 6 neutrons while carbon-13 contains 7 neutrons). Carbon-12 is a stable isotope, due to the 1:1 ratio of protons to neutrons, while carbon-14 is radioactive with a less stable 1:1.33 ratio.

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