To determine the number of neutrons in an oxygen atom, we use the formula:
Number of Neutrons = Atomic Mass – Atomic Number
In this case, the atomic mass of oxygen is 16 and the atomic number is 8. So, we can calculate:
Number of Neutrons = 16 – 8 = 8
This means that oxygen has 8 neutrons. The atomic number (8) tells us the number of protons in the nucleus of the atom, while the atomic mass (16) is the total number of protons and neutrons combined. By subtracting the number of protons from the atomic mass, we find the number of neutrons. Therefore, an oxygen atom with an atomic mass of 16 and an atomic number of 8 contains 8 neutrons.