How many protons and neutrons are present in one atom of 30^{14}Si?

• A. 14 protons and 16 neutrons
• B. 30 protons and 14 neutrons
• C. 14 protons and 30 neutrons
• D. 16 protons and 14 neutrons

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the notation of the isotope given: \(^{30}_{14}Si\). Here, the lower number (14) is the atomic number (Z), and the upper number (30) is the mass number (A).
2. Recall that the atomic number (Z) represents the number of protons in the atom. So, the number of protons is 14.
3. Understand that the mass number (A) is the total number of protons and neutrons combined in the nucleus.
4. Calculate the number of neutrons by subtracting the atomic number from the mass number using the formula: \(\text{Number of neutrons} = A - Z\).
5. Substitute the values: \(\text{Number of neutrons} = 30 - 14\), which gives the number of neutrons in the atom.