How many electrons, protons, and neutrons are in neon-21? Put electrons: 10 first, then protons: 10 then neutrons: 10
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
For neon-21, the isotope of neon with a mass number of 21, here’s how the subatomic particles are distributed:
- Electrons: 10
- Protons: 10
- Neutrons: 11
Explanation:
Neon is element number 10 on the periodic table, which means that in its neutral state, it has 10 protons and 10 electrons. These are the defining numbers for the element, as the number of protons (atomic number) is what distinguishes one element from another.
- Electrons: In a neutral atom, the number of electrons equals the number of protons, so neon-21 has 10 electrons.
- Protons: Since neon is atomic number 10, it has 10 protons.
Now, to determine the number of neutrons, we need to consider the mass number. The mass number is the sum of protons and neutrons in an atom’s nucleus. For neon-21, the mass number is 21. Since the atom has 10 protons, the number of neutrons can be calculated as:Neutrons=Mass number−Number of protons=21−10=11\text{Neutrons} = \text{Mass number} – \text{Number of protons} = 21 – 10 = 11Neutrons=Mass number−Number of protons=21−10=11
Thus, neon-21 has 11 neutrons.
In summary, neon-21 has:
- 10 electrons
- 10 protons
- 11 neutrons
This distribution follows from the basic principles of atomic structure, where the protons determine the element, the neutrons vary in isotopes, and the electrons balance the charge of a neutral atom.
