Question

What determines the atomic number of an atom? . . . A.. the number of neutrons in two atoms of an element. . . B.. the number of electrons in the outer layer of any atom. . . C.. the number of protons in every atom of an element. . . D.. the number of protons plus the number of neutrons in an atom

Answer 1

I think the correct answer among the choices presented above is option C. The atomic number of an atom is equivalent to the number of protons in the nucleus. For a neutral atom, it is also the number of electrons since in a neutral atom protons and electrons are present in equal number.

Answer 2

The correct answer is C. The number of protons in every atom of an element

Explanation:

In chemistry, the atomic number of an atom is equivalent to the number of protons (particles with a positive electric charge) that can be found in the atoms of the element being analyzed. This implies, the atomic number of every element is always the same, but still, the number of neutrons (a particle with no charge) and electrons (particles with a negative electric charge) can be different in atoms. According to this, the factor that determines the atomic number is "the number of protons in every atom of an element".