How many protons does aluminum (Al) have? How many neutrons? How many electrons?
The correct answer and explanation is:
Aluminum (Al) has 13 protons, 14 neutrons, and 13 electrons. Here’s how we determine these numbers:
Protons: The number of protons in an atom is equal to its atomic number. For aluminum, the atomic number is 13. This means that aluminum has 13 protons in its nucleus.
Neutrons: The number of neutrons is determined by subtracting the atomic number from the atomic mass number. The atomic mass of aluminum is approximately 27. This is the sum of the protons and neutrons. Since aluminum has 13 protons, the number of neutrons can be calculated as: Neutrons=Atomic mass−Atomic number=27−13=14\text{Neutrons} = \text{Atomic mass} – \text{Atomic number} = 27 – 13 = 14
So, aluminum has 14 neutrons.
Electrons: In a neutral atom, the number of electrons equals the number of protons to balance the positive charge of the protons. Since aluminum has 13 protons, it also has 13 electrons.
The number of protons determines the element, and in the case of aluminum, it is 13. The neutrons contribute to the atomic mass but do not affect the element’s identity. The electrons are involved in chemical bonding and reactions, and their number is typically equal to the number of protons in a neutral atom.
Therefore, aluminum has 13 protons, 14 neutrons, and 13 electrons, which define its chemical and physical properties.