Potassium (K) has 20 neutrons in its most stable isotope (K-39), while cobalt (Co) has 27 neutrons in its most stable isotope (Co-59). Therefore, cobalt has more neutrons than potassium.
The number of neutrons in any element depends on the isotope of the element you are referring to. Potassium has 24 isotopes, ranging from 32K to 55K. The most stable natural isotope is 39K, which would have 20 neutrons.
An element with 27 protons is cobalt (Co), as the number of protons defines the element. However, having 30 electrons indicates that this atom is an ion, specifically a cobalt ion with a +3 charge (Co³⁺), since it has more electrons than protons. The presence of 32 neutrons gives it an atomic mass of 59 (27 protons + 32 neutrons), which corresponds to the most common isotope of cobalt, Co-59.
Most elements have different isotopes, with different numbers of neutrons. Once source to get more information about the cobalt isotopes is the Wikipedia article on Cobalt - look for the section on isotopes.
If you have 20 neutrons you are going to have somewhere in the vicinity of 20 protons. Potassium has 19 protons, so it must be potassium. Note that although protons and neutrons do not have to match (and don't far more often than not), there is no chance of the element being either Na (11 protons) or Rb (37 protons). After you get past the first couple of elements, it is really rare to find an isotope with a neutron to proton ratio much below 1:1 or much past 1.5:1, and the 1.5:1 ratio you see in really big nuclei.
isotope
Cobalt has more protons
Potassium has the atomic number 19; that means it has 19 protons. The number of neutrons - as with any element - depends on the specific isotope. For more details, check the Wikipedia article on "Isotopes of potassium".
The number of neutrons in any element depends on the isotope of the element you are referring to. Potassium has 24 isotopes, ranging from 32K to 55K. The most stable natural isotope is 39K, which would have 20 neutrons.
An element with 27 protons is cobalt (Co), as the number of protons defines the element. However, having 30 electrons indicates that this atom is an ion, specifically a cobalt ion with a +3 charge (Co³⁺), since it has more electrons than protons. The presence of 32 neutrons gives it an atomic mass of 59 (27 protons + 32 neutrons), which corresponds to the most common isotope of cobalt, Co-59.
Most elements have different isotopes, with different numbers of neutrons. Once source to get more information about the cobalt isotopes is the Wikipedia article on Cobalt - look for the section on isotopes.
The protons and neutrons contribute the most to the mass of potassium. Protons have a positive charge and determine the element's identity, while neutrons provide additional mass without affecting the charge. Electrons have negligible mass compared to protons and neutrons.
That is potassium which occurs naturally in three isotopes, 39K, 40K and 41K. The numbers of neutrons in the nuclei of atoms of these isotopes are 20, 21 and 22 respectively. Please see the link.
Potassium gives a lilac or pale-violet flame test when viewed through a cobalt glass. The cobalt glass helps to filter out other colors from the flame, allowing the characteristic lilac color of potassium to become more visible.
Argon has the larger atom compared to potassium. This is because argon has more electrons and a greater number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus, leading to a larger atomic size.
Cobalt has one stable isotope, cobalt-59. However, there are 27 known radioactive isotopes of cobalt, with cobalt-60 being the most common and well-known isotope due to its use in medical and industrial applications.
Cobalt, with atomic number 27, has 27 protons and 27 electrons in a neutral atom. The number of neutrons in cobalt can vary depending on the isotope. The most common isotope, cobalt-59, has 32 neutrons.
If you have 20 neutrons you are going to have somewhere in the vicinity of 20 protons. Potassium has 19 protons, so it must be potassium. Note that although protons and neutrons do not have to match (and don't far more often than not), there is no chance of the element being either Na (11 protons) or Rb (37 protons). After you get past the first couple of elements, it is really rare to find an isotope with a neutron to proton ratio much below 1:1 or much past 1.5:1, and the 1.5:1 ratio you see in really big nuclei.