A neutral atom has 11 protons and 12 neutrons. What is its mass number?

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Multiple Choice

A neutral atom has 11 protons and 12 neutrons. What is its mass number?

Explanation:
Mass number counts all the nucleons in the nucleus, so it’s the sum of protons and neutrons. Here there are 11 protons and 12 neutrons, giving 11 + 12 = 23. That’s why the mass number is 23. The other numbers represent only one type of nucleon (protons or neutrons) or a different sum, but they don’t reflect the total nucleon count. Neutrons and protons together make up the nucleus, while electrons (present in a neutral atom) don’t affect the mass number.

Mass number counts all the nucleons in the nucleus, so it’s the sum of protons and neutrons. Here there are 11 protons and 12 neutrons, giving 11 + 12 = 23. That’s why the mass number is 23. The other numbers represent only one type of nucleon (protons or neutrons) or a different sum, but they don’t reflect the total nucleon count. Neutrons and protons together make up the nucleus, while electrons (present in a neutral atom) don’t affect the mass number.

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