College

How many protons, neutrons, and electrons are in uranium-235 with an atomic number of 92?

A. 92 protons, 92 electrons, 143 neutrons
B. 92 protons, 143 electrons, 143 neutrons
C. 143 protons, 143 electrons, 92 neutrons
D. 92 protons, 92 electrons, 92 neutrons

Answer :

To find out how many protons, neutrons, and electrons are in uranium-235 with an atomic number of 92, follow these steps:

1. Determine the Number of Protons:
- The atomic number of an element indicates the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom.
- Since uranium has an atomic number of 92, it has 92 protons.

2. Determine the Number of Electrons:
- In a neutral atom, the number of electrons equals the number of protons.
- Therefore, uranium-235 also has 92 electrons.

3. Calculate the Number of Neutrons:
- The mass number of an atom is the sum of its protons and neutrons.
- For uranium-235, the mass number is 235 (as indicated by the "-235").
- To find the number of neutrons, subtract the atomic number (number of protons) from the mass number:
[tex]\[
\text{Neutrons} = \text{Mass number} - \text{Atomic number} = 235 - 92 = 143
\][/tex]

So, uranium-235 has 92 protons, 92 electrons, and 143 neutrons. This corresponds to the first option: "92 protons, 92 electrons, 143 neutrons".