Worked Examples in Science and Mathematics

As I said at the start of this particular topic, it is the number of protons which will set the identity of the element. Take a look at the question below, you can easily answer this question by simply looking at the atomic number (sometimes known as the "proton" number) of the element concerned. In the second table you can see that the answers have been given for you.

Q. How many protons would you find in atoms of the following elements?

A. This is a reasonably straightforward question if you are familiar with a few scientific terms:

The Atomic Number (or Proton Number) of an Element is the number of Protons that exist in the nucleus. On a Periodic Table there are usually two numbers, the Proton Number being the smaller of the two.

The answer to this question is therefore to look at the Periodic Table and to state the Atomic or Proton Number in each of the elements, no more complicated than that.

Where the number of neutrons in the nucleus changes, we have "isotopes" of the element concerned. Isotopes will be dealt with in a subsequent part of this document.