How many neutrons does magnesium have?

Answer 1

Magnesium, an element with 12 protons, does not have a fixed number of neutrons. It exists as many isotopes (differing versions of the same element with the same number of protons, but a different number of neutrons), three of which are Mg-24, Mg-25, and Mg-26. [Atomic symbol-Atomic Mass] To find the number of neutrons, take the atomic number from the atomic mass: for example, 26 - 12 = 14. This means Mg-26 has 14 neutrons. However, to answer your question, the most common isotope of Magnesium is Mg-24. This is the case for most elements up to and including atomic number 20; the number of neutrons equals the number of protons. So; the most common isotope of Magnesium, Mg-24, with a relative abundance of about 79%, has 24 - 12 = 12 neutrons.

Answer 2

There are many different isotopes of magnesium, so it is impossible to tell which isotope you are talking about, therefore, making it impossible to answer how many nuetrons there are in a magnesium isotope.

Answer 3

The number of neutrons would depend on what isotope you're dealing with- the number of protons is what stays constant across all atoms of the same element. The average atomic mass of magnesium is about 24.3, meaning that the average number of neutrons would be about 12.3.

This is, essentially, a non-answer, since no atom of magnesium can possibly contain 12.3 neutrons. If you select a stable atom of magnesium at random, the odds are about 80% that it has 12 neutrons and about 10% each that it has either 13 or 14.

Answer 4

There are three isotopes of Magnesium, 24Mg, 25Mg, 26Mg, having 12, 13, and 14 neutrons respectively.

Answer 5

There are three isotopes of Magnesium, 24Mg, 25Mg, 26Mg, having 12, 13, and 14 neutrons respectively.

Got it from another Wikianswer.

Answer 6

Magnesium has 12, 13, 14 neutrons depending on the isotope.

Answer 7

Natural magnesium has 12, 13 or 14 neutrons depending on the isotope.

Answer 8

Magnesium has 12 protons; tne number of neutrons is 12, 13 or 14 depending on the isotope.

Answer 9

12 neutrons