Final answer:
There are 4 oxygen atoms in the compound Na₂SO₄, which corresponds to the sulfate ion SO₄²⁻ within the compound.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine how many oxygen atoms are in Na₂SO₄, we need to look at the formula and count the number of oxygen atoms that the chemical formula specifies. The formula Na₂SO₄ includes the sulfate ion (SO₄²⁻), and this ion contains 4 oxygen atoms. As there is one sulfate ion in sodium sulfate (Na₂SO₄), the answer is:
There are 4 oxygen atoms in Na₂SO₄.
So, the correct answer to the question is (a) 4.