Is the number of protons equal to the atomic number?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking about the relationship between protons and atomic number in the context of atomic structure in chemistry. The atomic number of an element is defined as the number of protons present in the nucleus of its atoms.
Answer
Yes
The number of protons in an atom is equal to its atomic number.
Answer for screen readers
The number of protons in an atom is equal to its atomic number.
More Information
The atomic number uniquely identifies a chemical element and determines its properties. For example, all hydrogen atoms have one proton, so hydrogen's atomic number is 1.
Tips
A common mistake is confusing the atomic number with the mass number, which is the total number of protons and neutrons.
Sources
- Atomic Number and Mass Number - chemicool.com
- Atoms, Elements, and Isotopes - khanacademy.org
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