Question 34 of 42beginner🔧 ApplyNumerical3 marks
An atom has 79 protons and a mass number of 197. Calculate the number of neutrons, and the number of electrons.
(i)
Answer
118
(ii)
Answer
79
Explanation
The mass number of an atom is the total number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus. By subtracting the number of protons from the mass number, we can find the number of neutrons. Additionally, because an atom is electrically neutral as a whole, the number of negatively charged electrons orbiting the nucleus must equal the number of positively charged protons.