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Na-23 has 11 protons. How many neutrons does it have?

A. 11
B. 12
C. 23
D. 34


Sagot :

Sure, let's solve this step-by-step.

1. Identify the given information:
- We are dealing with Na-23.
- Na-23 has 11 protons.

2. Understand the mass number:
- The mass number (denoted as [tex]\( A \)[/tex]) of an isotope is the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus. For Na-23, the mass number is 23.

3. Recall the relationship between mass number, protons, and neutrons:
- The mass number [tex]\( A \)[/tex] is the sum of the number of protons [tex]\( Z \)[/tex] and the number of neutrons [tex]\( N \)[/tex].
- Mathematically, this can be expressed as:
[tex]\[ A = Z + N \][/tex]

4. Substitute the known values into the equation:
- Here, [tex]\( A = 23 \)[/tex] and [tex]\( Z = 11 \)[/tex].

5. Solve for the number of neutrons [tex]\( N \)[/tex]:
[tex]\[ N = A - Z \][/tex]
Substituting the values:
[tex]\[ N = 23 - 11 \][/tex]

6. Calculate the result:
[tex]\[ N = 12 \][/tex]

Therefore, the number of neutrons in Na-23 is 12.

The correct answer is:
B. 12