If an element has 6 protons, 7 neutrons, and 6 electrons, what type of charge does the element have?
a. Positive
b. negative
c. neutral
d. imaginary
The correct answer and explanation is :
The correct answer is:
c. Neutral
Explanation:
An atom consists of three fundamental particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons.
- Protons are positively charged (+1).
- Electrons are negatively charged (-1).
- Neutrons have no charge (0) and do not affect the overall charge of the atom.
The overall charge of an atom is determined by the balance between the number of protons and electrons.
In this case, the element has:
- 6 protons (+6 charge)
- 6 electrons (-6 charge)
- 7 neutrons (neutral, does not contribute to charge)
To determine the charge:
[
\text{Total charge} = (\text{Charge from protons}) + (\text{Charge from electrons})
]
[
= (+6) + (-6) = 0
]
Since the total charge is 0, the atom is neutral.
Understanding the Element:
An atom with 6 protons is carbon (C) because the number of protons (atomic number) determines the element. The number of neutrons (7) means this is the isotope carbon-13 (¹³C).
Why It’s Not Positive or Negative:
- If the atom lost an electron, it would have more protons than electrons and be positively charged (cation).
- If the atom gained an extra electron, it would have more electrons than protons and be negatively charged (anion).
Since the number of protons and electrons is equal, the atom is neutral.