How would you explain the atomic number of an element?

Answer 1

The #"atomic number, Z"# is the number of protons, positively-charged.......

The #"atomic number, Z"# is the number of protons, positively-charged, massive nuclear particles. And #Z# defines the identity of the element:

#Z=1, H; Z=2, He; Z=3, Li..........Z=23, V#

You won't be asked to remember these numbers, because you should be issued a Periodic Table, which lists the atomic numbers and masses of all the elements exhaustively, in every exam in chemistry and physics you ever sit. You have to learn how to interpret the Table. For instance, given an isolated vanadium atom, #Z=23#, how many electrons does it have? How many electrons does the vanadium ion, #V^(2+)# have? Why?

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Answer 2

Noah Aldrich

The number of protons in an element's nucleus is what gives it its unique identity and establishes its chemical characteristics. In a neutral atom, the number of protons is equal to the number of electrons orbiting the nucleus. Variations in the atomic number lead to the formation of new elements.

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Answer from HIX Tutor

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.