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This is the Conversation Forum for SEx - Science Explained << SEx: Condensation around unopened cd boxes >> Subject: SEx - Is an atom still an atom if the no. of electrons and protons are different? Posted Mar 26, 2012 by Argon0 BenKORs and TomAOR_s Dad   Posting 1 This comes from a True False quiz: Atoms have the same number of protons as electrons. T or F. "Correct" answer is False, according to the quiz. I'm not sure - I thought Atoms were neutral, if they are not they are called ions.... Answers.com agrees with the quiz, Wikipedia kind of agrees - saying a neutral atom has the same no.... but "[a] charged atom is known as an ion"... So is an ion and atom? Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: SEx - Is an atom still an atom if the no. of electrons and protons are different? Posted Mar 26, 2012 by Stone Aart - the saturnalian Sybarite currently perched on Galbraiths Roost. This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 2 An atom is "normally" neutrally "charged", meaning it has the same number of electrons as protons in its nucleus. It can become negatively charged by gaining an additional electron (forming an anion) or it can become positively charged by losing an electron (forming a cation). Hence the correct answer is indeed false. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: SEx - Is an atom still an atom if the no. of electrons and protons are different? Posted Mar 26, 2012 by Stone Aart - the saturnalian Sybarite currently perched on Galbraiths Roost. This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 3 ps In "chemistry" atoms are "continually" losing and gaining electrons (undergoing various chemical reactions), but we don't say that the atoms are being "destroyed and created", we say that electrons are moving from one atom to another (they are also shared between atoms). In any chemical reaction there is a "conservation of atoms", something one learns at an elementary level when attempting to "balance" a chemical "equation". Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: SEx - Is an atom still an atom if the no. of electrons and protons are different? Posted Mar 26, 2012 by Orcus This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 4 I'd say they are all talking nonsense and I would agree with you Argon0 Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: SEx - Is an atom still an atom if the no. of electrons and protons are different? Posted Mar 26, 2012 by Orcus This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 5 And ions are any charged species (from protons and bigger at least, I'm not sure you'd call an electron an ion). So you can have molecular ions as well as atomic ions if you see what I mean. Subject: SEx - Is an atom still an atom if the no. of electrons and protons are different? Posted Mar 26, 2012 by Orcus This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 6 >Atoms have the same number of protons as electrons. T or F.< It's not really a very good true of false question though. Full of ambiguities. As wikipedia says a NEUTRAL atom will have equal numbers of both - a charged atom (ion) will not. So it does depend... If I was forced to stake my life on it, I'd agree with you. Subject: SEx - Is an atom still an atom if the no. of electrons and protons are different? Posted Mar 26, 2012 by Mu Beta This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 7 Thinking about it as single particles, then indeed Argon0 is correct. However, there are considerable grey areas around covalent bonding, not to mention low-temperature chemistry. In both of these, it's not always appropriate to assign an electron to a 'parent' nucleus. B Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: SEx - Is an atom still an atom if the no. of electrons and protons are different? Posted Mar 26, 2012 by Orcus This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 8 Which is why it is an extremely poor question to give a T or F answer to. Subject: SEx - Is an atom still an atom if the no. of electrons and protons are different? Posted Mar 26, 2012 by Orcus This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 9 <In both of these, it's not always appropriate to assign an electron to a 'parent' nucleus.> True, but if it's a neutral molecule - the number of electrons still equal the number of electrons and protons overall. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: SEx - Is an atom still an atom if the no. of electrons and protons are different? Posted Mar 26, 2012 by Stone Aart - the saturnalian Sybarite currently perched on Galbraiths Roost. This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 10 I agree that it was a "rubbish" true or false question. Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: SEx - Is an atom still an atom if the no. of electrons and protons are different? Posted Mar 26, 2012 by Mu Beta This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 11 "True, but if it's a neutral molecule - the number of electrons still equal the number of electrons and protons overall." Of course if it was a neutral molecule, you definitely WOULDN'T refer to it as an atom. B Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: SEx - Is an atom still an atom if the no. of electrons and protons are different? Posted Mar 27, 2012 by Argon0 BenKORs and TomAOR_s Dad This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 12 Thanks guys, I agree it is a rubbish T or F question, but there do seem to be a lot of them about... Read the First Reply to this Posting Subject: SEx - Is an atom still an atom if the no. of electrons and protons are different? Posted Mar 27, 2012 by Orcus This is a reply to this Posting   Posting 13 Yes Mu B, but a molecule is composed of atoms back Conversation list Conversation list

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