Question

Match the atomic number to the element. Drag each item to the appropriate bin.

A) Hydrogen - 1
B) Helium - 2
C) Carbon - 6
D) Oxygen - 8

Answer 1

The atomic number of carbon is 6, which represents the number of protons in the atom. The mass number of carbon is 12, the sum of protons and neutrons in the nucleus. The atomic number helps identify the element and determine the number of protons in its nucleus.

Step-by-step explanation:

The element in this example, represented by the symbol C, is carbon. Its atomic number 6 is the subscript next to the symbol and is the number of protons in the atom. The mass number, the superscript next to the symbol, is the sum of the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of this particular isotope. In this case, the mass number is 12 which means that the number of neutrons in the atom is 12 - 6 = 6 (that is, the mass number of the atom minus the number of protons in the nucleus equals the number of neurons). Occasionally, the atomic number is omitted in this notation because the symbol of the element itself conveys its characteristic atomic number.