Question

Which of the following is the best definition of an element?

Answer 1

Answer:

A. chemical substance whose atoms all have the same number of protons

Explanation:

An element is a substance which contains identical atoms that have the same number of protons in the nucleus.

Elements are arranged in the periodic table according to their atomic number (= number of protons): so atoms of different elements have a different number of protons in their nuclei.

For a neutral atom, the number of electrons around the nucleus is also equal to the number of protons.

Moreover, atoms of the same element can have a different number of neutrons, despite having the same number of protons - these atoms are called isotopes.