How many protons does the nucleus of a silicon atom contain? A. 4 B. 29 C. 14 D. 48 E. None of the above

The correct answer is C. 14.

A proton is a subatomic particle with a positive electric charge of 1 elementary charge and a mass that is approximately 1.672621777 × 10−27 kg, which is about 1836 times the mass of the electron. Protons and neutrons, together known as nucleons, make up the nucleus of an atom. The number of protons in the nucleus is the atomic number, which defines the chemical element. For example, all carbon atoms have 6 protons in their nucleus.

The number of neutrons in the nucleus is the neutron number. The sum of the proton and neutron numbers is the atomic mass number. For example, carbon-12 has 6 protons and 6 neutrons, while carbon-14 has 6 protons and 8 neutrons.

The number of protons in the nucleus of a silicon atom is 14. This means that the atomic number of silicon is 14. The atomic mass number of silicon is 28. This means that the nucleus