You've been given three new elements.One element had all its protons removed,one element had all its neutrons removed,and one element had all its electrons removed.The removal that would have the largest effect on atomic mass would be
A)removing the protons.
B)removing the neutrons.
C)removing the electrons.
D)all the changes would affect the atomic mass.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Removing the neutrons would have the largest effect on atomic mass because neutrons contribute to the mass of an atom. Protons and electrons have negligible mass compared to that of neutrons. Removing all its neutrons would make the isotope an entirely different element with a different atomic number. Removing all its protons would turn the atom into a neutral particle with no charge, but it would still have the same atomic mass (since atomic mass is the sum of protons and neutrons). Removing all its electrons would turn the atom into a positively charged ion, but this would not affect the atomic mass as electrons have very negligible mass.

You've Been Given Three New Elements