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Question

Why is an atom electrically neutral?


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Solution

Atom:

  1. It's the smallest unit of matter that can be destroyed without emitting electrically charged particles.

Reason for an atom electrically neutral:

  1. The three subatomic particles that make up an atom are known to exist. Protons, electrons, and neutrons are these subatomic particles. The term "atomic structure" describes the structure of an atom, which consists of a nucleus (core) that contains both protons, which are positively charged, and neutrons, which are neutral.
  2. The centre of the nucleus is surrounded by the negatively charged particles known as electrons, and The total number of protons in an element's nucleus is indicated by the element's atomic number.
  3. Protons and electrons are distributed equally among neutral atoms. Atoms can, however, receive or lose electrons to improve their stability. An atom without any charge is said to be neutral.
  4. For instance: The atomic number of a neutral sodium atom is 11, which implies it has 11 protons and, because it is neutral, 11 electrons.

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