In a 5927Co atom, we can break down the information as follows:
- Protons: The atomic number of cobalt (Co) is 27. This means that a neutral cobalt atom has 27 protons.
- Neutrons: To find the number of neutrons, we subtract the atomic number from the mass number. The mass number is 59, so: 59 – 27 = 32 neutrons.
- Electrons: In a neutral atom, the number of electrons equals the number of protons. However, if we are referring to an ion, the charge of the ion will affect the number of electrons. If it is a neutral ion, it will still have 27 electrons. If it has a positive charge (like Co2+), it would have 25 electrons (27 protons – 2). Conversely, if it is a negative ion (like Co3-), it would have 30 electrons (27 protons + 3).
In summary, for a neutral 5927Co atom:
Protons: 27
Neutrons: 32
Electrons: 27 (or adjusted based on the ion charge).