Question

Lithium has 3 protons, 4 neutrons, and 3 electrons. An element with which of these particles would have properties most similar to lithium?(1 point)%0D%0AResponses%0D%0A%0D%0AAn element with 12 protons, 12 neutrons, and 12 electrons.%0D%0AAn element with 12 protons, 12 neutrons, and 12 electrons.%0D%0A%0D%0AAn element with 11 protons, 11 neutrons, and 11 electrons.%0D%0AAn element with 11 protons, 11 neutrons, and 11 electrons.%0D%0A%0D%0AAn element with 4 protons, 4 neutrons, and 3 electrons.%0D%0AAn element with 4 protons, 4 neutrons, and 3 electrons.%0D%0A%0D%0AAn element with %E2%80%8B10 protons, 12 neutrons, and 10 electrons.

Answer 1

To determine which element would have properties most similar to lithium, we should look for an element with the same number of protons, since the number of protons defines the element itself. Lithium has 3 protons, so we need to look for elements that share similar characteristics, particularly in terms of their group and period in the periodic table.

Let’s analyze the options:

1. **An element with 12 protons, 12 neutrons, and 12 electrons:** This element would be magnesium (Mg), which is in the same period as lithium but belongs to a different group, so it would not exhibit similar properties.

2. **An element with 11 protons, 11 neutrons, and 11 electrons:** This element would be sodium (Na), which is in the same group (alkali metals) as lithium. Sodium and lithium share similar chemical properties.

3. **An element with 4 protons, 4 neutrons, and 3 electrons:** This element would be beryllium (Be), which is in the group 2 (alkaline earth metals). Beryllium does not have similar properties to lithium.

4. **An element with 10 protons, 12 neutrons, and 10 electrons:** This element would be neon (Ne), which is a noble gas and would not have similar properties to lithium.

Based on this analysis, the element with **11 protons, 11 neutrons, and 11 electrons** (sodium) would have properties most similar to lithium.