How many neutrons are present in a stable atom of aluminum?
1 Answer
May 30, 2016
There must be 14 neutrons is a typical stable atom of aluminum.
Explanation:
Look at the periodic table:
1) The atomic number is 13, thus 13 protons.
2) the atomic mass is close to 27 indicating that most naturally occurring Al (which would be a stable isotope if one exists) had a mass number of 27. Thus protons plus neutrons = 27.
The difference between these two numbers is the number of neutrons.
Wikipedia stated that a small amount of Al-26 occurs in nature but decays to magnesium.
