What determines an atom’s identity?(1 point)
Responses
the valence number
the number of neutrons
the number of protons
the number of electrons
the number of protons
The correct answer is: the number of protons.
The correct answer is: the number of protons.
To determine an atom's identity, you need to know the number of protons it has. This number is known as the atomic number and it uniquely identifies each element on the periodic table. The number of protons in an atom determines its chemical properties and the type of element it belongs to.
To find the number of protons in an atom, you can look up the atomic number of the element on the periodic table. For example, if you want to determine the identity of an atom with 29 protons, you would find that it belongs to the element copper (Cu), as copper has an atomic number of 29.
Valence number refers to the number of electrons in the outermost shell of an atom, which determines its ability to form chemical bonds with other atoms.
The number of neutrons is responsible for the isotope of an atom, which means it can have different mass numbers. The number of neutrons does not determine the identity of an atom.
The number of electrons in an atom is equal to the number of protons in a neutral atom. While the number of electrons does play a role in chemical bonding and reactivity, it does not determine the atom's identity.