Final answer:
The number of neutrons in an atom cannot be determined solely by knowing the number of negatively charged particles (electrons). Additional information about the element's atomic number or the isotope's mass number is required to calculate the number of neutrons.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the number of neutrons in an atom that has 23 negatively charged atomic particles, which are electrons, more information is needed about the element or isotope in question. However, the number of neutrons is not directly related to the number of electrons. Atoms are neutral when they have equal numbers of protons and electrons. The number of neutrons for a specific isotope is found by subtracting the atomic number (number of protons) from the atomic mass number (sum of the number of protons and neutrons).
Given options a. 5 protons; 6 neutrons, b. 13 protons; 14 neutrons, c. 26 protons; 30 neutrons, d. 86 protons; 138 neutrons, are examples of specific elements and their atomic composition. Likewise, an isotope of uranium has an atomic number of 92 and a mass number of 235, thus it contains 235 - 92 = 143 neutrons.
To accurately answer the original question, the atomic number or the isotope's mass number in addition to its atomic number is required.