Question detail
What must be the same for atoms to be atoms of the same element?
Try the question, check the answer, then read the explanation to understand the curriculum point.
At a glance
MCQ
Type
practice
Style
Topic
A simple model of the atom, symbols, relative atomic mass, electronic charge and isotopes
Question
- A. Their proton number
- B. Their neutron number
- C. Their mass number
- D. Their abundance in a sample
Answer
Their proton number
Explanation
The correct option is "Their proton number". Atoms of the same element have the same number of protons. They may have different neutron numbers if they are isotopes, so mass number can vary.
Common mistake
Misunderstanding Protons in Elements
Students often think that atoms of the same element can have different numbers of protons.
Remember that the defining characteristic of an element is its number of protons; all atoms of the same element must have the same number of protons.
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