Questions: What element would have a mass number of 7 and 3 protons? N Ne Li Be
Transcript text: What element would have a mass number of 7 and 3 protons? N Ne Li Be
Solution
Solution Steps
Step 1: Understand the Question
The question asks us to identify an element based on its mass number and the number of protons it has. The mass number is the sum of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom. The number of protons determines the element's identity and is also known as the atomic number.
Step 2: Identify the Element
The element with 3 protons is lithium (Li). The atomic number of lithium is 3, which means it has 3 protons.
Step 3: Verify the Mass Number
The mass number given is 7. For lithium, with 3 protons, the number of neutrons can be calculated as follows:
\[
\text{Number of neutrons} = \text{Mass number} - \text{Number of protons} = 7 - 3 = 4
\]
This is consistent with the isotope of lithium known as lithium-7, which has 3 protons and 4 neutrons.