What determines the atomic number of an atom? . a.. the number of neutrons in two atoms of an element. b.. the number of electrons in the outer layer of any atom. c.. the number of protons in every atom of an element. d.. the number of protons plus the number of neutrons in an atom.

The number of protons in every atom of an element determines the atomic number of an atom. Short after Rutherford made the gold foil experiment, the British scientist Henry Mosely discovered that the atoms of every element have a unique positive charge in their nuclei. This positive charge is the number of protons and is called atomic number. So, the atomic number identifies every different element.

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