Which statement best explains why hydrogen's atomic number is equal to its mass? (1 point)
• Hydrogen is in the first row and the first column of the periodic table.
* Hydrogen does not have any neutrons.
• Hydrogen only has one electron
• Hydrogen is stable, with two electrons in its outer shell.
Hydrogen does not have any neutrons.
The correct statement that best explains why hydrogen's atomic number is equal to its mass is: Hydrogen is in the first row and the first column of the periodic table.
The correct statement that explains why hydrogen's atomic number is equal to its mass is:
• Hydrogen is in the first row and the first column of the periodic table.
To understand this, we need to know that the atomic number of an element represents the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom. In the case of hydrogen, it has only one proton in its nucleus, which gives it an atomic number of 1. The atomic mass, on the other hand, is the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom.
Now, let's look at the given options:
- Hydrogen does not have any neutrons. This statement is incorrect because hydrogen commonly exists as isotopes, like deuterium, which has one neutron.
- Hydrogen only has one electron. This statement is also incorrect because the number of electrons doesn't determine an element's atomic number or mass; it is solely determined by the number of protons and neutrons.
- Hydrogen is stable, with two electrons in its outer shell. This statement is not accurate as hydrogen has only one electron in its simplest form, not two. Additionally, stability is determined by various factors, including the electron configuration and the interaction between protons and neutrons in the nucleus.
Therefore, the correct explanation is that hydrogen is in the first row and the first column of the periodic table, and its atomic number is equal to its mass due to the presence of one proton in its nucleus.