The statement 'The atomic number of an element is the same as the number of electrons in the nucleus' is

• A. Cannot be determined
• B. True
• C. False
• D. Not sure

Answer: (C)

Key idea: the atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus, not electrons in the nucleus. The nucleus contains protons and neutrons, while electrons sit outside the nucleus in an electron cloud. In a neutral atom, the number of electrons equals the atomic number, but those electrons are not located in the nucleus. So the statement is false.