If only an element’s atomic number and weight are provided, what other atomic information can be determined for a neutral atom?(1 point)
Responses
only the number of protons and electrons
the number of protons, electrons and neutrons
only the valence electrons
only the number of protons and neutrons
the number of protons, electrons and neutrons
Explanation:
- The atomic number of an element gives the number of protons in its nucleus.
- For a neutral atom, the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons.
- The atomic weight, or atomic mass, is approximately equal to the sum of the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus. By rounding the atomic weight to the nearest whole number, you can obtain the mass number. Subtracting the atomic number (number of protons) from the mass number gives you the number of neutrons.
what is the correct answer
Apologies for any confusion. The correct answer is:
**the number of protons, electrons, and neutrons**
Here's the reasoning once again, broken down by each component:
1. The **atomic number** tells you the number of protons in an atom.
2. In a **neutral atom**, the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons.
3. The **atomic weight** (more accurately referred to as the atomic mass) is roughly the sum of the protons and neutrons. By rounding the atomic mass to the nearest whole number, you get what's called the mass number. To find the number of neutrons:
- Subtract the atomic number (number of protons) from the mass number.
So, given the atomic number and atomic weight, you can determine the number of protons, electrons, and neutrons in a neutral atom.
To determine other atomic information for a neutral atom, we need to understand the meaning of atomic number and atomic weight. The atomic number refers to the number of protons in an atom's nucleus. The atomic weight or atomic mass refers to the sum of the protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom.
For a neutral atom, it means the number of protons is equal to the number of electrons. Therefore, only the number of protons and electrons can be determined if only the element's atomic number and weight are provided. In other words, we can determine the atomic number (which is also the number of protons) and infer that this would also be the number of electrons.
The number of neutrons, which is required to calculate the atomic weight, cannot be determined from just the atomic number and weight. Similarly, valence electrons, which are involved in chemical bonding, cannot be determined solely from the atomic number and weight.