Question

How many protons, neutrons and electrons are in an atom with an atomic number of 11 and a mass number of 23? How did you figure this out? What is the element? (4 points)

Answer 1

To find the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons in an atom with an atomic number of 11 and a mass number of 23, you can follow these steps:

1. **Protons**: The atomic number of an element represents the number of protons in its nucleus. Therefore, for an atomic number of 11, there are **11 protons**.

2. **Electrons**: In a neutral atom, the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons. Since there are 11 protons, there are also **11 electrons**.

3. **Neutrons**: The mass number of an atom is the total number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus. To find the number of neutrons, you can use the formula:
\[
\text{Neutrons} = \text{Mass number} - \text{Atomic number}
\]
In this case:
\[
\text{Neutrons} = 23 - 11 = 12
\]
Therefore, there are **12 neutrons**.

4. **Element**: The element with atomic number 11 is **sodium (Na)**.

To summarize:
- Protons: 11
- Neutrons: 12
- Electrons: 11
- Element: Sodium (Na)