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An atom of aluminum has an atomic number of 13 and an atomic mass of 26.

What is the correct configuration of subatomic particles for this atom?
a) The number of neutrons is 13, the number of protons is 13, and the number of electrons is 26.
b) The number of neutrons is 13, the number of protons is 13, and the number of electrons is 13.
c) The number of neutrons is 13, the number of protons is 26, and the number of electrons is 26.
d) The number of neutrons is 26, the number of protons is 26, and the number of electrons is 26.

1 Answer

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Final answer:

The correct configuration of subatomic particles for an atom of aluminum with atomic number 13 and atomic mass 26 is 13 protons, 13 neutrons, and 13 electrons, which corresponds to option b.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct configuration of subatomic particles for an atom of aluminum with an atomic number of 13 and an atomic mass of 26 is given by the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons present in the atom. Atomic number is equal to the number of protons, which in this case is 13. The number of electrons in a neutral atom is also 13, as the number of electrons must equal the number of protons to balance the electrical charge. To find the number of neutrons, we subtract the atomic number from the atomic mass: 26 (atomic mass) - 13 (atomic number) = 13 neutrons. Therefore, the correct configuration is option b) The number of neutrons is 13, the number of protons is 13, and the number of electrons is 13.

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