There are six electrons, six protons and six neutrons in an atom of an

There are six electrons, six protons and six neutrons in an atom of an element. What is the atomic number of the element ?

6
12
18
24
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-2 – 2016
The atomic number of an element is defined by the number of protons found in the nucleus of an atom of that element. The question states that the atom has six protons. Therefore, the atomic number of the element is 6.
– Atomic Number (Z) = Number of Protons.
– In a neutral atom, Number of Protons = Number of Electrons.
– The mass number is the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus (Mass Number = Protons + Neutrons).
– In this case, Protons = 6, Electrons = 6, Neutrons = 6.
– Atomic Number = 6.
– Mass Number = 6 + 6 = 12. This describes an atom of Carbon-12.
The number of neutrons can vary for atoms of the same element, leading to different isotopes. However, the number of protons is unique to each element and determines its identity.