I have a question I don't understand.
It says that
-Scandium with 24 neutrons and 21 electrons is neutral
-Rhodium with 45 protons and 45 electrons isn't neutral.
I thought that neutral atoms have equal numbers of protons and electrons, so I can't understand!!!
I have a big Science test today, so please explain why!!
(English isn't my first language)
2007-04-23 02:32:18 · 2 answers · asked by Sayaka 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
I'll copy the question
Which of the following is the name and tha sub-atomic particle arrangement for a neutral atom of the element?
A) Scandium 24 neutrons and 21 electrons
B)Scandium 21 neutrons and 24 protons
C)Rhodium 45 protons and 24 neutrons
D)Rhodium 45 protons and 45 electrons
2007-04-23 02:45:02 · update #1
Rhodium is a "transitional element" which means when assigning it's electrons to an orbit they don't always fill the current shell completely before filling in the next shell resulting in a net electric charge.
2007-04-23 02:43:30 · answer #1 · answered by Brian K² 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Both the scandium and rhodium species that you describe seem neutral to me. Could you have miscopied the rhodium data?
2007-04-23 09:37:53 · answer #2 · answered by steve_geo1 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋