Which statement best describes the isotope 12C?

• A. It is radioactive and decays to form 14C.
• B. It is the most abundant naturally occurring isotope of carbon.
• C. It contains 7 neutrons and 5 protons.
• D. It is less stable than 13C.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand what an isotope is: isotopes are atoms of the same element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.
2. Identify the element carbon (C), which has an atomic number of 6, meaning every carbon atom has 6 protons.
3. Recognize that the isotope notation 12C means the carbon atom has a mass number of 12, which is the sum of protons and neutrons.
4. Calculate the number of neutrons in 12C by subtracting the number of protons from the mass number: \(\text{neutrons} = 12 - 6 = 6\) neutrons.
5. Recall that 12C is the most abundant naturally occurring isotope of carbon, is stable (not radioactive), and does not decay to form 14C.