Question detail
What defines the atomic number of an 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. The number of neutrons
- B. The number of electrons
- C. The number of protons
- D. The total number of subatomic particles
Answer
The number of protons
Explanation
The atomic number is defined as the number of protons in an atom of an element, which determines the element's identity.
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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