Geoffrey has the atoms of an unknown element. His experiment concludes that these atoms are electrically neutral. What is the only thing he can say for certain about the atomic structure of the element with this information?
a
The atomic number and the atomic mass are the same
b
The number of protons and the number of electrons are the same
c
The object belongs in the period IIVA
d
The number of protons and the number of neutrons are the same
1 answer
The correct answer is:
b. The number of protons and the number of electrons are the same.
Explanation: An atom is considered electrically neutral when the number of protons (which are positively charged) is equal to the number of electrons (which are negatively charged). This balance means that the overall charge of the atom is zero. Options a, c, and d do not apply based on the given information about the atoms being electrically neutral.
