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The reason we can't come to any conclusions about what element an atom is by looking at its charge is because there are different elements that could carry the same charge. As a single example, look at any element from the Group 1 column in the Periodic Table. These elements are the Alkaline Metals, and all of them have a single electron in their valence shell. Their chemical nature is to loan out that electron as soon as possible and take on an "atomic charge" of +1. If you have a given atom with a +1 charge and that's all you know about it, it may be any one of the atoms from Group 1. There are also a number of the so-called transition metals that can take on a +1 charge under certain chemical conditions.

All the elements in Group 17, the Halogens, lack one electron from having a full outer or valence shell. They want to borrow an electron from anywhere, and when they do, they take on an "atomic charge" of -1 because of that extra electron. If an atom of some element has a -1 charge because it is "hanging onto" a borrowed electron, it could be any one of the elements in Group 17. By looking at the charge on the atom and nothing else, it isn't possible to determine which atom you're looking at.

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EXPLAIN why it is not possible to determine the type of atom by knowing the charge of the atom?

Knowing the charge of an atom only provides information on the number of electrons it has gained or lost. Different types of atoms can have the same charge if they have gained or lost electrons in the same proportion. Therefore, the charge alone is not sufficient to determine the type of atom.


Why is it not possible to determine the type of atom by knowing the charge of an atom?

The number of protons change the element name. For example, 2 protons is Helium. 5 protons is Boron. I know this is short, but I have to study for a bio test now so... bye... hope this helped


Why is it not possible to determine the type of an atom by knowing the charge of the atom?

The number of protons change the element name. For example, 2 protons is Helium. 5 protons is Boron. I know this is short, but I have to study for a bio test now so... bye... hope this helped


Why is not possible to determine the type of atom by simply knowing how many neutrons it has?

because the neutrons have no charge


How do you find how many electrons an atom has?

Knowing which element it is and its formal charge, subtract the charge from its atomic number.


What determine the charge of an atom?

It depends on the number of electrons and protons the charge of an atom depends on the number of electrons and the number of protons


19 electrons what is the atom's electrical charge?

If you don't specify what element you are talking about, we have no way of knowing the charge of an atom with 19 electrons.


What part of the atom do you count to figure out the charge?

To determine the charge of an atom, you count the number of protons in the nucleus. This number represents the positive charge of the atom, as protons are positively charged particles.


What subatomic particles determine the charge of an atom?

Protons (+1 charge) and electrons (-1 charge) are the subatomic particles that determine the charge of an atom. Protons carry a positive charge, while electrons carry a negative charge. The number of protons in an atom determines its overall positive charge, while the number of electrons determines its overall negative charge.


What orbits nucleus negative charge?

Electrons orbit the nucleus of an atom and carry a negative charge. The number and arrangement of electrons determine an atom's chemical properties.


How can one determine the effective nuclear charge (Z effective) of an atom?

To determine the effective nuclear charge (Z effective) of an atom, you can subtract the number of inner shell electrons from the atomic number of the element. This gives you the net positive charge experienced by the outermost electrons, which is the effective nuclear charge.


How does oxidation numbers determine the number of atoms?

Oxidation numbers indicate the charge of an atom in a compound. By comparing the oxidation numbers of different atoms in a compound and knowing their charges, you can determine the number of atoms involved in the reaction or compound. These numbers help balance chemical equations and determine the stoichiometry of a reaction.