Question

The nucleus of an electrically neutral iron atom contains 26 protons. How many clectrons does this iron atom have?

Short answer

An electrically neutral iron atom has 26 electrons.

Step-by-step solution

Understanding Atomic Neutrality

In a neutral atom, the number of protons equals the number of electrons. This is because the positive charge from protons and negative charge from electrons balance each other out, leaving the atom electrically neutral.

Counting Protons in an Iron Atom

According to the problem, an iron atom has 26 protons in its nucleus.

Determining Number of Electrons

Since the atom is neutral, it must have the same number of electrons as protons. Therefore, the number of electrons in this iron atom is also 26.

Key concepts

Protons

Protons are one of the fundamental particles in an atom that contribute to its identity and behavior. They reside in the nucleus, which is the dense core located at the center of an atom. Each proton carries a positive electrical charge signified as \(+1\). This charge plays a crucial role in defining the atomic number of an element, which is essentially the number of protons present in the nucleus.
Iron, for instance, has an atomic number of 26 because it contains 26 protons.

• Protons are responsible for the characteristics and classification of the element within the periodic table.
• The number of protons determines the element; thus, changing the number of protons results in a different element.

In the case of a neutral atom, the positive charge of protons is balanced by the negative charge of electrons.

Electrons

Electrons are subatomic particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom. These tiny particles carry a negative charge, denoted as \(-1\). The interaction between electrons and protons is fundamental to maintaining electrical neutrality in atoms.

• The number of electrons in a neutral atom is equal to the number of protons.
• Electrons are responsible for the chemical behavior of atoms because they are involved in forming bonds with other atoms.

In an iron atom, there are 26 protons and hence, to achieve electrical neutrality, there must be 26 electrons orbiting the nucleus.

Neutral Atom

A neutral atom is characterized by having an equal number of protons and electrons. This equality ensures that the positive and negative charges exactly balance, making the overall electrical charge of the atom zero.
Neutral atoms are important because they are the building blocks of matter in its stable form.

• In a neutral atom, electrical neutrality is achieved when the positive charges from protons equal the negative charges from electrons.
• If an atom gains or loses electrons, it becomes ionized, resulting in a charged particle called an ion.

For example, the neutral state of an iron atom with 26 protons would have exactly 26 electrons to maintain this balance. This is crucial for the atom’s stability.