Science Form 4

Chapter 4 Matter and Substances

4.3 Proton Number and Nucleon
Number
Proton Number and Nucleon Number

• The number of protons of an atom is

called the proton number.
• The total number of protons and
neutrons in an atom is called the
nucleon number.
• The number of neutrons =
nucleon number – proton number
 Example 1 : an atom of helium

• Proton number = number of protons = 2

• Nucleon number = number of protons and
neutrons
=2+2
=4
 Example 2 : an atom of oxygen

• Proton number = number of protons = 8

• Nucleon number = number of protons and
neutrons
=8+8
= 16
 Example 3 : an atom of sodium
• Proton number = number of protons = 11
• Nucleon number = number of protons and neutrons
= 23
What is the number of electron ?
number of electrons = number of protons = 11
What is the number of neutron ?
number of neutron = nucleon number – proton
number
= 23 – 11
= 12
Example 4 : an atom of carbon-12
 Example 4 : an atom of carbon-12
• Proton number = number of protons = 6
• Nucleon number = number of protons and neutrons
= 6 + 6 = 12
What is the number of electron ?
number of electrons = number of protons = 6
What is the number of neutron ?
number of neutron = nucleon number – proton
number
= 12 - 6
=6
Example 5 : an atom of hydrogen-1
 Example 5 : an atom of hydrogen-1
• Proton number = number of protons = 1
• Nucleon number = number of protons and neutrons
=1+0=1
What is the number of electron ?
number of electrons = number of protons = 1
What is the number of neutron ?
number of neutron = nucleon number – proton
number
=1-1
=0
 Isotopes
• Atoms of an element which have the
same number of protons but
different number of neutrons are
called isotopes.
isotopes of hydrogen
isotopes of carbon
isotopes of oxygen
Science module p. 70