The atomic number of Iron is 26 and the atomic mass is 56. (a) How many protons and electrons does an Iron atom have? (b) How many neutrons does an Iron atom have? 3. Do you know any element having no neutrons in its atom?
The correct answer and explanation is:
Correct Answers:
(a) An iron atom has 26 protons and 26 electrons.
(b) An iron atom has 30 neutrons.
(c) Yes, hydrogen-1 (the most common isotope of hydrogen) is the only element that has no neutrons in its atom.
Explanation:
Atoms are made up of three basic subatomic particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons. The number of protons in an atom is what defines the element and is also known as the atomic number. For iron, the atomic number is 26, which means every atom of iron has 26 protons in its nucleus.
In a neutral atom, the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons, to balance the positive and negative charges. So, a neutral iron atom also has 26 electrons.
To find the number of neutrons, subtract the atomic number from the mass number (which is the total number of protons and neutrons). Iron has a mass number of 56, so:
Number of neutrons = Mass number – Atomic number
= 56 – 26 = 30 neutrons
This means a neutral atom of iron has 30 neutrons in its nucleus.
Regarding the presence of neutrons, all elements except one have at least one neutron in their nucleus. The only known element that does not contain a neutron is the most common isotope of hydrogen, called protium or hydrogen-1. This isotope consists of one proton and one electron, with no neutron. Other isotopes of hydrogen, like deuterium and tritium, do contain neutrons.
The presence of neutrons contributes to the atomic mass and plays a crucial role in stabilizing the nucleus. Without neutrons, atoms of heavier elements would not be stable due to the repulsion between positively charged protons. Hydrogen-1 is the only exception due to its extremely simple structure.