Question

How many protons, neutrons and electrons does a neutral hydrogen atom have?

Answer 1

Hint To know about the number of protons, neutrons and electrons present in an atom or molecule or ion we should know the atomic number of the element present in the molecule or ion. We should know the charge present in the given ion too.

Complete step by step answer:
 - In the question it is asked how many protons, neutrons and electrons are present in neutral hydrogen atoms.
- We know that the atomic number of hydrogen is 1.
- So, hydrogen contains one proton in its nucleus.
- A neutral hydrogen atom means a hydrogen atom does not contain any charge on it.
- So, the same number of protons and electrons are present in hydrogen, meaning the number of electrons in a neutral hydrogen atom is 1.
- Coming to the number of neutrons in hydrogen, to get the number of neutrons we have to subtract the number of protons from the mass number.
- Therefore the mass number of hydrogen is approximately one.
- So, the number of neutrons in hydrogen = Mass number of hydrogen – number of protons = 1 – 1 = 0.
- The number of neutrons in a neutral hydrogen atom is 0.

- Therefore the number of protons, neutrons and electrons present in a neutral hydrogen atom are 1, 0, and 1 respectively.

Note: If we know the atomic number of an element then only we can find the number of protons, neutrons and electrons present in it. The number of electrons in an element is equal to the atomic number of the respective element