QQuestionChemistry
QuestionChemistry
How many protons, neutrons, and electrons are present in an atom of argon (Ar) with a mass number of 40?
A. 18 protons, 22 neutrons, 18 electrons
B. 18 protons, 40 neutrons, 22 electrons
C. 22 protons, 18 neutrons, 22 electrons
D. 40 protons, 58 neutrons, 18 electrons
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Answer
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Step 1:: Identify the number of protons, which is equal to the atomic number of argon.
\text{Number of protons} = 18
The atomic number of argon is 18. Therefore, there are 18 protons in an argon atom.
Step 2:: Determine the number of electrons based on the number of protons (since argon is a neutral atom).
\text{Number of electrons} = 18
In a neutral atom, the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons. So,
Step 3:: Calculate the number of neutrons by subtracting the number of protons from the mass number.
\text{Number of neutrons} = 40 - 18 = 22
The mass number of the given argon atom is 40. To find the number of neutrons, we need to subtract the number of protons from the mass number: Substituting the known values:
Step 4:: Summarize the findings.
We have found that there are: - 18 protons - 22 neutrons - 18 electrons in the given argon atom.
Final Answer
The correct answer is A. 18 protons, 22 neutrons, 18 electrons.
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