Final answer:
The statement is true; electrons are most likely to be found in regions around the nucleus called orbitals, which represent areas with high probability of finding electrons based on the quantum mechanical model of the atom.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the area around the nucleus of an atom is where the atom's electrons are most likely to be found is true. In an atom, electrons do not follow fixed paths like planets around the sun, but rather exist in regions called orbitals. An orbital is the region in space around the nucleus where electrons are most likely to be found. These are not fixed paths but probabilistic regions where the likelihood of finding an electron is highest.
The electron cloud model further illustrates this concept by showing areas of high electron probability as darker regions nearer the nucleus, and areas of low probability as lighter regions further out. Electrons have various energy levels, and those with the lowest energy are found closest to the nucleus due to the attractive force of the positively charged protons. Conversely, electrons with higher energy can be found further away from the nucleus.
Therefore, the answer to the question is a. True, as the orbital represents the defined space around an atom's nucleus where an electron is most likely to be found, reflecting the modern quantum mechanical model of the atom. The concept of an electron orbital elucidates how electrons are spatially distributed surrounding the nucleus.