Which statement is true of the atom shown in the diagram, which has 6 protons, 6 neutrons, and 6 electrons?

• A. It is a neutral carbon atom.
• B. It is an oxygen atom.
• C. It is a carbon atom with a mass number of 12 and a charge of -1.
• D. It is a positively charged carbon ion.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the element by the number of protons. The number of protons defines the atomic number, which determines the element. Here, the atom has 6 protons, so it is carbon because carbon's atomic number is 6.
2. Determine the mass number by adding the number of protons and neutrons. The mass number is given by \(\text{mass number} = \text{protons} + \text{neutrons}\). For this atom, it is \$6 + 6 = 12$.
3. Check the number of electrons to determine the charge of the atom. A neutral atom has the same number of electrons as protons. Since this atom has 6 electrons and 6 protons, it is neutral.
4. Evaluate the given options based on the above information: it is not oxygen (which has 8 protons), it does not have a charge of -1 (which would require one more electron than protons), and it is not positively charged (which would require fewer electrons than protons).
5. Conclude that the correct statement is that the atom is a neutral carbon atom with 6 protons, 6 neutrons, and 6 electrons.