Question

5. Think Critically Hector is new to your

class today. He missed the lesson on
how to use the periodic table to find
information about the elements. Describe
how you would teach Hector to find the
atomic number for the element oxygen.
Explain what this information tells him
about oxygen.

Answer 1

To find the atomic number of oxygen on the periodic table, look for the symbol 'O' and the number above it; atomic number 8 indicates oxygen has 8 protons in its nucleus.

Step-by-step explanation:

To assist Hector in finding the atomic number for the element oxygen using a periodic table, we would start by explaining what the atomic number signifies. The atomic number (Z) is the number of protons found in the nucleus of an atom, which distinguishes one element from another. On the periodic table, elements are arranged in order of increasing atomic number, and each element's atomic number is displayed above its symbol.

Oxygen is typically located in group 16, and its symbol is 'O'. To find oxygen's atomic number, we look for the 'O' symbol on the table and then look directly above it. The atomic number of oxygen is 8, which means that every atom of oxygen has 8 protons in its nucleus. This information tells us that the element oxygen will have 8 electrons as well, and it is essential for determining the element’s position on the periodic table and its chemical properties.

Answer 2

On the periodic table, for every element, the atomic number is located on the top right. So, for oxygen, the number 8 is at the top right, which indicates its atomic number. The atomic number tells you how many protons and electrons an element has. So, an atom of oxygen has 8 protons and electrons, assuming it isn't an ion.

Step-by-step explanation: