How do find the number of electrons, protons, and neutrons given a specific element?

Question

Jeremiah Adams · Accepted Answer

Got a Periodic Table.........

The Periodic Table, which will made available to you in every test of physics and chemistry you ever sit, tells you EXPLICITLY the number of protons, electrons, and (to a first approx.) neutrons, in all the known elements. For hydrogen, #"Z, the atomic number=1"#, for sulfur, #Z=16#, and for oxygen, #Z=8#. By definition, #Z# represents the number of nuclear protons, and thus specifies the ability of the element. And thus for one formula unit of #H_2SO_4#, the number of #"nucular protons"# #=# #16+4xx8+2=50#. Because these represent fundamental positive charges, you should be able to tell me how many electrons there are in the NEUTRAL molecule #"pdq"#. The number of neutrons is a bit more problematic inasmuch as a given element can several isotopic forms. For sulfur, oxygen, and hydrogen we choose the COMMON isotopes, #""^1H#, #""^16O#, and #""^32S#, which have #0, 8,# and #16# neutrons respectively (the neutrons and the protons together represent the atomic mass). So you do the sum. ARE you happy with this?

Mateo Aguilar · Answer

undefined To find the number of electrons, protons, and neutrons for a specific element, you would need to refer to the periodic table. The atomic number of the element gives the number of protons, which is also equal to the number of electrons in a neutral atom. To find the number of neutrons, subtract the atomic number from the mass number, which is the sum of protons and neutrons for a given isotope of the element.