Which property remains constant between carbon-12 and carbon-14?

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Multiple Choice

Which property remains constant between carbon-12 and carbon-14?

The number of protons stays the same because protons define which element you have. Carbon-12 and carbon-14 are both forms of carbon, so they each have six protons in the nucleus. The mass number changes because it’s the total of protons and neutrons, and carbon-12 has six neutrons while carbon-14 has eight. The electron count can vary with ionization, so it isn’t a reliable constant across different states, but the protons are fixed, preserving the element’s identity.

The number of protons stays the same because protons define which element you have. Carbon-12 and carbon-14 are both forms of carbon, so they each have six protons in the nucleus. The mass number changes because it’s the total of protons and neutrons, and carbon-12 has six neutrons while carbon-14 has eight. The electron count can vary with ionization, so it isn’t a reliable constant across different states, but the protons are fixed, preserving the element’s identity.

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