Atom Chemistry Example 3

Follow the full solution, then compare it with the other examples linked below.

easy

If an atom has 8 protons, 8 neutrons, and 8 electrons, what element is it and what is its overall charge?

1
The element is determined by its number of protons (atomic number). 8 protons corresponds to oxygen.
2
Overall charge $= (+8) + (-8) = 0$ . The atom is electrically neutral.

Answer

\text{Oxygen (O), charge} = 0

The atomic number uniquely identifies an element. A neutral atom always has equal numbers of protons and electrons.

About Atom

The smallest unit of an element that retains the chemical properties of that element.

Describe the basic structure of an atom and identify the three subatomic particles along with their

A carbon atom has 6 protons, 6 neutrons, and 6 electrons. Calculate the approximate mass of this ato

If you keep dividing a piece of copper into smaller and smaller pieces, what is the smallest unit th