1. Identify the Isotope:
* Cobalt has several isotopes (atoms with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons). You need to know which isotope you're dealing with. The most common isotope is Cobalt-59 (⁵⁹Co).
2. Determine the Atomic Number:
* The atomic number represents the number of protons in an atom. Cobalt's atomic number is 27.
3. Determine the Mass Number:
* The mass number is the sum of protons and neutrons in an atom's nucleus. For Cobalt-59, the mass number is 59.
4. Calculate the Number of Neutrons:
* Subtract the atomic number (protons) from the mass number:
* Number of neutrons = Mass number - Atomic number
* Number of neutrons = 59 - 27 = 32
Therefore, Cobalt-59 has 32 neutrons.
