The atom number of an element is the same as its.....protons, neutrons, or nucleons?

same at the protons, same as the electrons

Since this is not my area of expertise, I searched Google under the key words "atomic number" to get these possible sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_number
http://education.jlab.org/glossary/atomicnumber.html
http://www.answers.com/topic/atomic-number

In the future, you can find the information you desire more quickly, if you use appropriate key words to do your own search.

I hope this helps. Thanks for asking.

The atomic number of an element is the same as its number of protons. Protons are positively charged particles found in the nucleus of an atom. The atomic number determines the identity of an element and gives important information about its properties. For example, hydrogen has an atomic number of 1, which means it has 1 proton in its nucleus. Oxygen, on the other hand, has an atomic number of 8, indicating it has 8 protons in its nucleus.

To determine the atomic number of an element, you can refer to the periodic table. The atomic number is usually listed above or below the element's symbol. For example, the symbol for hydrogen is H, and its atomic number of 1 is listed above the symbol.

It's important to note that the atomic number is NOT the same as the number of neutrons or nucleons. Neutrons are electrically neutral particles found in the nucleus, and nucleons refer to both protons and neutrons combined. The total number of nucleons can vary between isotopes of the same element, but the atomic number remains constant.