How many subatomic particles are there in the nucleus of a carbon atom?

Answer 1

In a 12C carbon atom, there are 6 protons, 6 neutrons, and 6 electrons. (98.8%)

In a 13C carbon atom, there are 6 protons, 7 neutrons, and 6 electrons. (1.2%)

In a 14C carbon atom, there are 6 protons, 8 neutrons, and 6 electrons.

There are only trace amounts in Nature of 14C carbon which is radioactive and decays with a halflife of 5730 years
Carbon-12, the most common isotope, has 6 Protons, 6 Electrons, and 6 Neutrons.

Answer 2

That depends on the isotope, limiting ourselves to stable carbon isotopes:

1. Carbon-12: 6 protons, 6 neutrons = total 12
2. Carbon-13: 6 protons, 7 neutrons = total 13

However if we look inside the nucleons there are 3 quarks, so each nucleon is 4 particles:

1. Carbon-12: 48
2. Carbon-13: 52

Then if you want to count all the bosons (gluons, mesons, W, Z, photons) being exchanged to hold everything together and all the virtual particles being created and annihilated at any time, the result practically becomes uncountable. It is certainly never constant in any nucleus.

Answer 3

Carbon has 6 electrons and protons; the number of neutrons is specific for each isotope.

Number of neutrons in a carbon isotope = Mass number - 6

Answer 4

6 protons, 6 electrons

6 neutrons in the most stable isotope of carbon (C-12)

7 neutrons in the C-13 isotope

8 neutrons in the C-14 isotope

Answer 5

Carbon has 6 electrons and protons; the number of neutrons is specific for each isotope.

Number of neutrons in a carbon isotope = Mass number - 6

Answer 6

In the most common isotope of carbon which is Carbon-12, there are 12 subatomic particles - 6 protons and 6 neutrons.