Question

The cation is represented as M3+. What is the difference between the number of protons and electrons present?

Answer 1

We know that mass number= number of protons+number of neutrons in any given atom. Here, mass number is 27 and there are 14 neutrons hence protons=27-14=13. In a neutral atom, number of protons=number of electrons. Hence in this case the number of electrons in the neutral atom will be 13. Now, since the atom carries +3 charge hence it will have 13-3=10 electrons. By the way the atom mentioned here is Aluminium (Al) and thus the cation will be Al3+.