Question

A student builds a model of an atom with a central nucleus containing protons and neutrons and electrons orbiting the nucleus. Which of the following changes would most accurately represent an atom of a different element?
(10 Points)


Increasing the number of electrons while keeping the number of protons the same

Increasing the number of protons in the nucleus

Decreasing the number of neutrons while keeping the number of protons and electrons the same

Moving electrons closer to the nucleus without changing the number of protons

Answer 1

To accurately represent an atom of a different element, the change that would most effectively achieve this is:

**Increasing the number of protons in the nucleus.**

The number of protons in the nucleus determines the identity of an element. For example, an atom with 6 protons is carbon, while an atom with 7 protons is nitrogen. Therefore, increasing the number of protons will result in a different element.

The other options do not change the identity of the element:
- Increasing the number of electrons while keeping the number of protons the same would create an ion of the same element, not a different element.
- Decreasing the number of neutrons does not change the element itself; it may create an isotope of the same element.
- Moving electrons closer to the nucleus does not change the number of protons and therefore does not change the element.

Thus, the most accurate answer is: **Increasing the number of protons in the nucleus.**