Question

The ion of an element has 1 positive charge. The atomic mass of the element is 23, and the number of neutrons is 12. What is the number of electrons in the positive ion?

a) 14
b) 13
c) 10
d) None of these

Answer 1

The number of electrons in the positive ion with an atomic mass of 23 and 12 neutrons is 10, because the element, which must have 11 protons, has lost one electron to form the positively charged ion.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the number of electrons in the positively charged ion of the element with an atomic mass of 23 and 12 neutrons, we must first establish the atomic number, which can be calculated as the difference between the atomic mass and the number of neutrons. Thus, atomic mass (23) minus neutrons (12) gives us 11, which is the atomic number and also the number of protons in a neutral atom of the element.

Since the element forms a ion with a 1 positive charge, it means that the atom has lost one electron. The number of electrons in a neutral atom would be the same as the number of protons, which is 11. But as an ion with a 1 positive charge, the number of electrons is one less than the number of protons. Therefore, the positively charged ion has 11 - 1 = 10 electrons.