Final answer:
The metal that has more protons than platinum but fewer electrons than mercury is A) Gold (Au), which has 79 protons.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is asking to identify a metal that has more protons than platinum but fewer electrons than mercury. This is a question that requires knowledge of the periodic table and the atomic numbers of elements. Platinum has an atomic number of 78, which means it has 78 protons, and mercury has an atomic number of 80, which means it has 80 electrons in its neutral state. Therefore, we're looking for an element with an atomic number between 79 and 80.
Looking at the options provided:
- Gold (Au) has an atomic number of 79.
- Silver (Ag) has an atomic number of 47.
- Palladium (Pd) has an atomic number of 46.
- Rhodium (Rh) has an atomic number of 45.
Since gold (Au) has 79 protons, it fits the criteria of having more protons than platinum (Pt) but fewer electrons than mercury (Hg) in its neutral state. Therefore, the correct answer is A) Gold.