Carbon Isotopes and Atomic Mass

Vocabulary flashcards defining subatomic particles, atomic mass concepts, and specific carbon isotopes discussed in the lecture.

Neutron

A subatomic particle in the nucleus that has almost the same mass as a proton and whose quantity can change without altering the element type.

Proton

A subatomic particle in the atomic nucleus; carbon consistently contains 6 protons regardless of changes in neutron count.

Isotope

Atoms of the same element that share identical chemical properties and proton counts but differ in their number of neutrons.

Carbon 12

A carbon isotope composed of 6 protons and 6 neutrons.

Carbon 13

A carbon isotope composed of 6 protons and 7 neutrons, making it slightly heavier than Carbon 12.

Carbon 14

A carbon isotope formed by adding another neutron to Carbon 13, which is utilized in archaeology and carbon dating.

Carbon 11

A carbon isotope that has a smaller mass than Carbon 12.

Mass Number

The sum of the number of protons and neutrons in an atom, which determines the overall weight of the atom.