Answer: Option (c) is the correct answer.
Explanation:
It is known that atomic number means the number of protons present in an atom.
For example, atomic number of sodium is 11, that is, there are 11 protons present in an atom of sodium.
Whereas inside the nucleus both protons and neutrons reside and the force that binds them together is known as nuclear binding energy. But when number of protons exceed number of neutrons then electrostatic force of repulsion overcomes the nuclear binding energy. As a result, the atom becomes unstable.
So, when atomic number of an atom is high then there are more number of neutrons because then nuclear binding energy is able to overcome the electrostatic force of repulsion caused by like charges of protons. Therefore, the atom will be stable then.
Thus, we can conclude that elements with high atomic numbers tend to have more neutrons than protons.
