are electrons equal to protons in elements
Thus, atoms of the same element will always have the same _____________ but will not necessarily have the same _____________. Thus, atoms of the same element will always have the same ATOMIC NUMBER but will not necessarily have the same MASS NUMBER. Review. 1  Atoms have their electrons arranged in layers called shells. 2  In order to maintain electrical balance the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons in most elements. Each atom contains an equal number of protons and electrons; these particles will be equal in value to an element's atomic number. For example, the element gold, or AU, has an atomic number of 79, meaning it has 79 protons and 79 electrons. Atomic number is not to be confused with atomic mass. Continue Reading. In the next sub-unit you will learn about the the outer shell of an atom called the valence shell. Review. Atoms have their electrons arranged in layers called shells. In order to maintain electrical balance the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons in most elements. The proton number is always the same as the atomic number for the element. The protons and neutrons are found in the nucleus of the of the atom and make up the major it of the mass of the atom. The electrons are found in orbitals surrounding the nucleus. In order for the atom to remain electrically neutral the protons and electrons must balance each other. This surrounds the nucleus and the electrons are located here. Made of protons and neutrons and has a positive charge. The opposing charges of the nucleus and the electron cloud whi…. Discrete areas where the electrons can be found and the electr…. electron cloud. This surrounds the nucleus and the electrons are located here. These processes can be reversed so that the atoms are back to their neutral ground state. The number of protons is unique to the element. So a carbon with a missing proton isn't carbon, it is a boron with an extra electron. Yes, the number of protons and electrons are equal in the atoms of every element. This is essential to maintain electric neutrality of the atoms. However, this rule doesn't apply to ions. Also, the number of protons or electrons is called the atomic number and is useful to place the elements in the periodic table. Protons are particles in the nucleus of an atom that have a positive charge. Electrons are particles that have a negative charge. Therefore, an element in a neutral state will have the same number of protons and electrons. For example, boron (B) has an atomic number of 5, therefore it has 5 protons and 5 electrons. However, if the element includes a negative or positive ion, then the protons and electrons will not be the same. You will have to calculate them. The ion number will appear as a small, superscript after the element. The copper atom has 29 protons in its nucleus with 29 electrons orbiting the nucleus. Notice that in the copper atom, the electrons are arranged in several layers called shells. This is to graphically represent that the electrons are at different energy levels within the atom. Actually the proton and electron count of an atom are equal only when the atom is neutral in charge. The three atomic particles of an atom are the protons, which carry a positive charge, the electrons which carry a negative charge and the neutrons which have no charge.
Yes, in order to maintain electrical balance the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons in most elements.