Question

( Image is 6 C carbon with the numbers 12.011 under it ) According to the image, the atomic mass of carbon is 12.011. How is the atomic mass of carbon, or any other element, determined? A. By adding the number of protons and the number of electrons B. By adding the number of protons and the number of neutrons C. By adding the number of protons, the number of neutrons, and the number of electrons D. By identifying the number of protons

Answer 1

Answer:

B. By adding the number of protons and the number of neutrons

Explanation:

The atomic mass is determined by adding the number of protons and neutrons in an atom. An atom is made up of three fundamental particles: Electrons, Protons and Neutrons.

The protons and neutrons occupy a central region in an atom known as the nucleus. The nucleus is positively charged and mass concentrated.

If we compare the relative masses of the subatomic particles, the masses of protons and neutrons would be 1 and that of an electron would be 1/1840. This shows that the mass of electrons are negligible.

In order to ascertain atomic mass, we therefore add the number of protons and neutrons together. This is how we arrive at 12.011 as the value of the atomic mass of C and for other elements.

The atomic mass is also known as the mass number.