Question

Of the three types of elementary particles constituting atoms, determine which type(s) influence thefollowing properties of an element:a) The chemical identity of the atomsb) The mass of the atom.

c) The electrical charge of the atom

Answer 1

1. The chemical identity of the atom is determined by the number of protons. The name of any element, ion, isotope or isobar is determined by the number of protons.
2. The mass of the atom is due to protons and neutrons. Electrons are very light in comparison to protons and neutrons and their contribution is negligible.
3. The electrical charge of the atom is determined by the number of electrons and protons. If protons are more than electrons the charge will be positive and if electrons are more than protons the atom has a net negative charge and there is no net charge on an atom if the number of protons and electrons are equal.