In an atom of copper (Cu), the atomic number is 29. This number tells us the number of protons in the atom, which means copper has 29 protons.
The mass number of an atom is the total number of protons and neutrons present in the nucleus. For copper, the mass number is 64. To find the number of neutrons, we subtract the number of protons from the mass number:
Number of Neutrons = Mass Number – Atomic Number
Number of Neutrons = 64 – 29 = 35
Thus, copper has 35 neutrons.
In a neutral atom, the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons. Therefore, since copper has 29 protons, it also has 29 electrons.
In summary, an atom of copper with an atomic number of 29 and a mass number of 64 contains:
- Protons: 29
- Neutrons: 35
- Electrons: 29