Question

what is the mass number, charge, and atomic number of 8 protons, 8 neutrons, and 10 electrons.

Answer 1

To determine the mass number, charge, and atomic number of an atom with 8 protons, 8 neutrons, and 10 electrons, we can use the following definitions:

1. **Mass Number (A)**: The mass number is the sum of the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom.
- For this atom: \( \text{Mass Number} = \text{Protons} + \text{Neutrons} = 8 + 8 = 16 \)

2. **Atomic Number (Z)**: The atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom, which determines the element.
- For this atom: \( \text{Atomic Number} = \text{Protons} = 8 \) (This corresponds to the element oxygen.)

3. **Charge**: The overall charge of the atom is determined by the difference between the number of protons and electrons.
- For this atom: \( \text{Charge} = \text{Protons} - \text{Electrons} = 8 - 10 = -2 \)

In summary:
- **Mass Number (A)**: 16
- **Atomic Number (Z)**: 8
- **Charge**: -2

This indicates that the atom described is a negatively charged ion of oxygen, specifically the oxide ion (O²⁻).