Drawing a Bohr diagram for carbon involves representing the arrangement of protons, neutrons, and electrons within the atom. Here's how to do it:
1. Determine the Number of Protons, Neutrons, and Electrons:
- Carbon's atomic number is 6. This means it has 6 protons.
- A common isotope of carbon is Carbon-12 (¹²C). The mass number (12) minus the atomic number (6) gives the number of neutrons: 12 - 6 = 6 neutrons.
- In a neutral carbon atom, the number of electrons equals the number of protons, so there are 6 electrons.
2. Draw the Nucleus:
- Draw a small circle to represent the nucleus.
- Inside the circle, write "6p" to indicate 6 protons and "6n" to indicate 6 neutrons.
3. Draw the Electron Shells:
- Draw concentric circles around the nucleus. These represent electron shells (energy levels).
- The first shell (closest to the nucleus) can hold a maximum of 2 electrons. The second shell can hold a maximum of 8 electrons.
4. Place the Electrons:
- Fill the innermost shell first with up to 2 electrons. Carbon has 6 electrons, so the first shell will have 2 electrons.
- The remaining 4 electrons (6 total - 2 in the first shell = 4) go into the second shell. Draw four electrons in the second shell. You can draw them as dots or small 'x's. Try to space them out. They don't need to be paired.
Summary of the Bohr Diagram for Carbon:
- Nucleus: 6 protons (6p) and 6 neutrons (6n).
- First Shell: 2 electrons.
- Second Shell: 4 electrons.
