Question

Which statements describe carbon? Check all that apply.

A. Atomic mass of ~ 12 amu
B. Atomic number of 6
C. Atomic number of 14
D. Valence of 6

Answer 1

The correct statements about carbon are that it has an atomic mass of ~ 12 amu and an atomic number of 6. Carbon typically has a valence of 4, not 6, and the atomic number of carbon is definitely not 14. Statement C, stating that carbon has an atomic number of 14, is incorrect.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statements that correctly describe carbon are:

• Atomic mass of ~ 12 amu: Carbon has a relative atomic mass of 12.011. Carbon-12, represented as ¹²C, is the most common isotope with a mass number (atomic mass) of 12.
• Atomic number of 6: Carbon has an atomic number of 6, which means it always has 6 protons.
• Valence of 6: This is incorrect. Carbon typically has a valence of 4, meaning it can form four bonds with other atoms.

Statement C, stating that carbon has an atomic number of 14, is incorrect. The atomic number represents the number of protons in the nucleus, which is 6 for carbon. An atomic number of 14 would correspond to the element silicon. As for the valence, carbon has four valence electrons, not 6. It is this ability to form four covalent bonds that makes carbon such a versatile element in the formation of numerous compounds.