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Carbon-14 and carbon-12 are isotopes of carbon - AQA - GCSE Physics - Question 5 - 2023 - Paper 1

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Carbon-14 and carbon-12 are isotopes of carbon. Compare the structure of an atom of carbon-14 with the structure of an atom of carbon-12. [3 marks]

Worked Solution & Example Answer:Carbon-14 and carbon-12 are isotopes of carbon - AQA - GCSE Physics - Question 5 - 2023 - Paper 1

Step 1

Similarities in Structure

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Answer

Both atoms have the same number of protons, which is 6, as they are isotopes of carbon. They also have the same number of electrons, which means that their atomic number is identical.

Step 2

Difference in Neutron Count

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Answer

The key difference between carbon-14 and carbon-12 lies in their neutron count. Carbon-12 has 6 neutrons, while carbon-14 has 8 neutrons. This results in a different mass number for each isotope.

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