How many subatomic particles does a silver atom possess?

Question

Naomi Aronson · Accepted Answer

#Z#, the #"atomic number"# ALWAYS gives the number of nucular protons.....

#Z# always gives the number of massive, positively charged, nuclear particles. And thus #Z# defines the identity of the element. Now elemental silver was specified and a quick dekko of the Periodic Table tells me that for silver #Z=47#. But for the neutral element, if there are 47 positively charged nuclear particles, the element must also contain 47 negatively charged particles, 47 electrons, that are conceived to whizz about the nuclear core. That there equal numbers of electrons, and nuclear protons tells me that I deal with a NEUTRAL species. But we gots #""^108Ag#, and the difference #108-47=61# represents the number of neutrons, massive, NEUTRALLY charged nuclear particles, that engage with the nuclear protons in the strong nuclear force that bind the nucleus together. Got this? I acknowledge that you may be exposed to these concepts for the first time, but I think atomic structure is relatively straightforward, and you got (or should have) a Periodic Table in front of you to inform you reasoning, and tell you the average atomic masses, which is the weighted average of the individual isotopes.

Cooper Adams · Answer

undefined A silver atom typically possesses 47 subatomic particles. This includes 47 protons (which determine the element's identity), 47 electrons (assuming it's electrically neutral), and varying numbers of neutrons, depending on the isotope of silver.