A particular carbon isotope has an atomic number of 6 and an atomic mass of 14. The respective numbers of neutrons, protons, and electrons that this carbon isotope has are __________.

• A. 6, 8, and 6
• B. 6, 6, and 8
• C. 8, 6, and 8
• D. 8, 6, and 6

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of atomic number and atomic mass: The atomic number represents the number of protons in an atom, while the atomic mass is the sum of protons and neutrons.
2. Identify the atomic number: For carbon, the atomic number is 6, which means it has 6 protons.
3. Determine the number of electrons: In a neutral atom, the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons. Therefore, this carbon isotope has 6 electrons.
4. Calculate the number of neutrons: Subtract the atomic number from the atomic mass to find the number of neutrons. For this isotope, the atomic mass is 14, so the number of neutrons is 14 - 6 = 8.
5. Verify the numbers: The carbon isotope has 8 neutrons, 6 protons, and 6 electrons, which matches the correct answer choice of 8, 6, and 6.