What does an atomic number represent in an atom?

Question

Responses

number of neutrons

number of neutrons

number of protons

number of protons

number of electrons

number of electrons

number of protons and neutrons

Answer 1

The atomic number of an atom represents the number of protons in its nucleus. In a neutral atom, the number of electrons is also equal to the atomic number, but the atomic number specifically indicates the number of protons. Therefore, the correct response is:

number of protons