How many protons and electrons are present in O^2-? A)8 protons and 8 electrons B)10 protons and 8 electrons C)8 protons and 10 electrons D)16 protons and 8 electrons E)none of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The symbol O^2- indicates a molecular formula, not an elemental symbol. However, we can count the number of protons and electrons by adding up the atomic numbers of each individual element. In this case, there are 8 protons from oxygen (O), 1 proton from sulfur (S), and 0 protons from phosphorus (P) since it's not present in the molecular formula. Additionally, there are 10 electrons from oxygen (O) and 1 electron from sulfur (S), for a total of 8 + 1 = 9 protons and 10 + 1 = 11 electrons. Therefore, the best answer is C, which states 8 protons and 10 electrons.

How Many Protons and Electrons Are Present in O2-

How Many Protons and Electrons Are Present in O^2-