QQuestionChemistry
QuestionChemistry
Potassium’s atomic number is 19, and its atomic mass is approximately 39. How many neutrons does potassium have?
A. 19
B. 58
C. 20
D. 39
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Answer
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Step 1:Let's solve this step by step:
Step 2:: Understand the given information
- Atomic number of potassium = 19 - Atomic mass of potassium ≈ 39
Step 3:: Recall the relationship between atomic number, atomic mass, and neutrons
- Atomic number = number of protons - Number of neutrons = Atomic mass - Atomic number
Step 4:: Calculate the number of neutrons
\text{Number of neutrons} = 39 - 19 = 20
Step 5:: Verify the calculation
- Protons = 19 - Neutrons = 20 - Total = 39 ✓
Final Answer
Explanation: - The atomic number (19) tells us the number of protons - The atomic mass (39) represents the total number of protons and neutrons - Subtracting the number of protons from the atomic mass gives the number of neutrons - 39 - 19 = 20 neutrons
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