Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 2: Problem 40

Some foods are made safer to eat by being exposed to gamma rays from radioactive isotopes, such as cobalt-60. The energy from the gamma rays kills bacteria in the food. How many neutrons, protons, and electrons are there in an atom of cobalt-60?

Short Answer

Expert verified
A cobalt-60 atom contains 27 protons, 27 electrons, and 33 neutrons.

Step by step solution

01

Identify the Atomic Number of Cobalt

Firstly, look for Cobalt (Co) in the periodic table. You will see that its atomic number is 27. This means that Cobalt has 27 protons. Because it is a neutral atom, it will also have 27 electrons.
02

Calculate the Number of Neutrons

The atomic mass number (Cobalt-60) represents the total number of protons and neutrons in the atom. We know from step 1 that Cobalt has 27 protons. To find the number of neutrons, subtract the number of protons from the atomic mass number. So, \(60 - 27 = 33\). Thus, Cobalt-60 has 33 neutrons.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

An isotope with mass number 44 has four more neutrons than protons. This is an isotope of what element?

In one experiment, the burning of \(0.312 \mathrm{g}\) sulfur produced 0.623 g sulfur dioxide as the sole product of the reaction. In a second experiment, \(0.842 \mathrm{g}\) sulfur dioxide was obtained. What mass of sulfur must have been burned in the second experiment?

How many \(^{204} \mathrm{Pb}\) atoms are present in a piece of lead weighing \(215 \mathrm{mg} ?\) The percent natural abundance of \(204 \mathrm{Pb}\) is \(1.4 \%\)

Cathode rays (a) may be positively or negatively charged (b) are a form of electromagnetic radiation similar to visible light (c) have properties identical to \(\beta\) particles (d) have masses that depend on the cathode that emits them

Identify the isotope \(X\) that has one more neutron than protons and a mass number equal to nine times the charge on the ion \(X^{3+}\)
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

Inorganic Chemistry

Read Explanation

Chemical Reactions

Read Explanation

The Earths Atmosphere

Read Explanation

Chemical Analysis

Read Explanation

Nuclear Chemistry

Read Explanation

Organic Chemistry

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free