An element has an atomic number of 8 and a mass number of 16. How many neutrons does this element ha

JAMB Chemistry 2023 68 views

An element has an atomic number of 8 and a mass number of 16. How many neutrons does this element have?

  1. 8 ✓
  2. 16
  3. 24
  4. 32

Explanation

The atomic number tells you the number of protons in an atom. The mass number is the total of protons plus neutrons.

To find neutrons, subtract the atomic number from the mass number: 16 – 8 = 8 neutrons. This element is oxygen-16, with 8 protons and 8 neutrons.

The mass number includes both protons and neutrons because electrons have negligible mass. Simple subtraction always gives you the neutron count.

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