Which subatomic particle determines the identity of an atom

Subject : Chemistry

Question: Which subatomic particle determines the identity of an atom?

Expert Verified Solution:

The subatomic particle that determines the identity of an atom is the proton.

In the question “Which subatomic particle determines the identity of an atom?”, it is crucial to understand that protons play a key role. The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom defines its atomic number, which in turn determines the element to which the atom belongs. For example, an atom with 6 protons is always carbon, regardless of the number of neutrons or electrons it may have. Therefore, the proton is the primary subatomic particle responsible for identifying and classifying different elements in the periodic table.

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