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Multiple Choice
How many neutrons are present in the isotope lithium-6?
A
3
B
4
C
6
D
2
Verified step by step guidance
1
Identify the isotope notation: lithium-6 means the element is lithium (Li) with a mass number of 6.
Recall that the mass number (A) is the sum of protons and neutrons in the nucleus: \(A = Z + N\), where \(Z\) is the number of protons and \(N\) is the number of neutrons.
Determine the atomic number (\(Z\)) of lithium, which is 3 (lithium has 3 protons).
Use the formula to find the number of neutrons: \(N = A - Z\).
Substitute the values: \(N = 6 - 3\), which gives the number of neutrons in lithium-6.