Conquer the Kaplan Nursing Entrance 2025 – Prep, Practice, and Prosper!

Question: 1 / 2700

In a neutral atom, what can be said about the number of electrons and protons?

The number of electrons is greater than the number of protons

The number of electrons is less than the number of protons

The number of electrons equals the number of protons

In a neutral atom, the fundamental principle is that the number of electrons equals the number of protons. This balance is crucial because protons carry a positive charge, while electrons carry a negative charge. For an atom to maintain neutrality, these charges must balance each other out. Therefore, when the number of electrons matches the number of protons, the overall charge of the atom is zero.

Understanding the relationship between electrons and protons helps clarify why other options do not hold true. If electrons were in excess or deficient compared to protons, the atom would either carry a negative or positive charge, respectively, thus becoming an ion rather than remaining neutral. The assertion that the number of protons is always double that of electrons is irrelevant to the definition of a neutral atom, as this ratio does not correctly reflect the behavior of atoms in their neutral state.

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The number of protons is always double that of electrons

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