Here's how to determine the number of electrons in the carbon-12 isotope (¹²C):

* Atomic Number: Carbon's atomic number is 6. This means a neutral carbon atom has 6 protons.

* Neutral Atoms: In a neutral atom, the number of protons (positive charge) is equal to the number of electrons (negative charge).

* Therefore: ¹²C has 6 electrons.

Note: The superscript "12" in ¹²C refers to the atomic mass number, which is the sum of protons and neutrons. It doesn't directly influence the number of electrons.