A helium atom has two protons, two neutrons and two electrons. What is the charge of this atom?
A. 0
B. +2
C. +4***
D. More information is needed.
C is not correct.
Check the charges of each of those particles, and try again.
NO!!!!
A neutron has no charge.
An electron is negative the same amount that a proton is positive.
A whole atom has exactly the same number of protons as it has electrons.
Therefore a whole atom, H or He or Fe or any atom is NEUTRAL.
If it loses or gains electrons, it is then an ION
deep breaths, Damon :-)
puff, puff
To determine the charge of an atom, you need to consider the number of protons and electrons. Protons have a positive charge, while electrons have a negative charge. Neutrons, on the other hand, have no charge and do not contribute to the overall charge of the atom.
In the case of a helium atom, it has two protons and two electrons. Since the charges of the protons and electrons are equal in magnitude, but opposite in sign, they cancel each other out. Therefore, the charge of a helium atom is 0.
So the correct answer is A. 0