The Atomic Number of an Element is the Number Of

Question

The atomic number of an element is the number of
A) protons in the orbitals.
B) neutrons in the orbitals.
C) neutrons in the nucleus.
D) protons in the nucleus.
E) electrons in the nucleus.

Accepted Answer

The atomic number of an element refers to the number of protons in the nucleus. This is a unique value for each element and defines its place on the periodic table. The number of electrons in an atom is also equal to the number of protons, assuming the atom is neutral (i.e. has no overall charge).