What is the name of the silicon isotope that has 15 neutrons?

• A. Silicon-28
• B. Silicon-31
• C. Silicon-30
• D. Silicon-29

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the atomic number of silicon, which is the number of protons. Silicon has an atomic number of 14, meaning it has 14 protons.
2. Recall that the mass number of an isotope is the sum of protons and neutrons: \(\text{Mass number} = \text{Number of protons} + \text{Number of neutrons}\).
3. Given the number of neutrons is 15, calculate the mass number: \$14 + 15 = 29$.
4. Name the isotope by combining the element name with the mass number, resulting in Silicon-29.
5. Verify that Silicon-29 corresponds to the isotope with 15 neutrons, confirming the correct answer.