• Question: Why do atoms always contain the same number of electrons and protons?

    Asked by anon-225816 to Sameed, Jose, joannabarstow, Heidi, Chris on 21 Nov 2019.
    • Photo: Sameed Muhammed

      Sameed Muhammed answered on 21 Nov 2019:

      An atom contains electrons, protons, and neutrons. A atom (which is neutral i.e. it has a total charge of zero) has equal numbers of protons and electrons. If an atom were to have an unequal number of electrons and protons, we just call it by a different name – ion.

      So in the end it is just a matter of definition.

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