QUESTION IMAGE
Question
an atom is electrically neutral because
nuclear forces stabilize the charges
neutrons balance the protons and electrons
the numbers of protons and neutrons are equal
the numbers of protons and electrons are equal
Protons have a positive charge and electrons have a negative charge. In a neutral atom, the positive and negative charges must cancel out, which occurs when the number of protons (positively - charged) equals the number of electrons (negatively - charged). Neutrons are neutral and do not contribute to the atom's overall charge. Nuclear forces are related to the stability of the nucleus and not to the atom's electrical neutrality.
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the numbers of protons and electrons are equal