A nuclide is represented as 14C. How many protons and neutrons does this nuclide contain, and what is the element?

• A. 8 protons, 6 neutrons; element is oxygen
• B. 6 protons, 8 neutrons; element is carbon
• C. 7 protons, 7 neutrons; element is nitrogen
• D. 6 protons, 14 neutrons; element is carbon

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the notation of the nuclide: \(^{14}C\). Here, the superscript 14 represents the mass number (A), which is the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus.
2. Recall that the element symbol 'C' stands for carbon. The atomic number (Z) of carbon is 6, which means it has 6 protons.
3. Calculate the number of neutrons by subtracting the atomic number from the mass number using the formula: \(\text{Number of neutrons} = A - Z\).
4. Substitute the values: \(\text{Number of neutrons} = 14 - 6\) to find the neutron count.
5. Summarize the results: the nuclide \(^{14}C\) has 6 protons, 8 neutrons, and the element is carbon.