Which element is 1 proton, 1 neutron, and 2 electrons? Is it a neutral atom or ion?

1 answer

An element with 1 proton is hydrogen (H). However, the given configuration has 1 neutron and 2 electrons.

Typically, hydrogen only has one electron when it is in its neutral state. The presence of 2 electrons indicates that this atom has gained an extra electron, which makes it a negative ion (specifically, a hydride ion, H⁻) since it has more electrons than protons.

So, to summarize:

  • The element is hydrogen (with 1 proton and 1 neutron, making it deuterium).
  • It has 2 electrons, which makes it a negatively charged ion (ionized state).