Question

Atomic Structure of 14 Elements Please use the periodic table of elements to answer the questions below. How can you determine the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom of any of the elements listed in the table? Which element has 14 protons in the nuclei of its atoms? Explain how you can determine the number of electrons surrounding the nucleus of an atom of any of the elements listed in the table. Which element has 19 electrons surrounding the nuclei of its atoms? Explain how you can determine the number of neutrons in the nucleus of an atom of any of the elements listed in the table. Which element doesn’t have a neutron in the nuclei of its atoms? How many neutrons are present in the nucleus of an iron atom? How many protons, neutrons, and electrons are present in and surrounding the nucleus of a chlorine atom?

Answer 1

1. From the atomic number, the number of protons in an atom’s nucleus.

2. Silicon

3. You can find this from the atomic number. An atom has no overall charge, so it must have an equal number of positive protons and negative electrons. Therefore, the number of electrons surrounding the nucleus must equal the number of protons found in the nucleus, which is the atomic number.

4. Potassium

5. The mass number of an atom of an element is the combined number of protons and neutrons. So, if you subtract the number of protons—equal to the atomic number—from an atom’s mass number, the result is the number of neutrons present in the nucleus.

6. Hydrogen

7. 30

8. 17 protons, 18 neutrons, 17 electrons

Answer 2

Silicon has 14 protons Potassium has 19 electrons The neutrons are equal to the mass number minus the atomic number. Or the big number minus the small number on the periodic table. hydrogen 1 does not have a neutron.

iron =56 -26 for 30 neutrons in the nucleus

Chlorine 17 protons and 17 electrons. 18 or 19 neutrons on average.