Question

Atomic number is ______.

Options

• number of protons

• number of electrons

• sum of protons and neutrons

• Both number of protons and number of electrons

Answer 1

Atomic number is both number of protons and number of electrons.

Explanation:

In any neutral atom, the total number of positively charged protons inside the nucleus is always exactly equal to the total number of negatively charged electrons orbiting around it. Therefore, the atomic number of an element corresponds to both the number of protons and the number of electrons.