An atom of hydrogen has 1 proton and a mass number of 1.Infer how many neutrons it must have.0123

1. ### Break Down the Problem

We need to find out how many neutrons are present in a hydrogen atom given that it has 1 proton and a mass number of 1.

2. ### Relevant Concepts

• The mass number of an atom is the sum of the number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus.
• The formula for calculating the number of neutrons is: $\text{Number of Neutrons} = \text{Mass Number} - \text{Number of Protons}$

3. ### Analysis and Detail

In this case:

• Mass Number = 1
• Number of Protons = 1 (since hydrogen has 1 proton)

Applying the formula: $\text{Number of Neutrons} = 1 - 1 = 0$

4. ### Verify and Summarize

The calculation shows that the number of neutrons in a hydrogen atom is 0. This is consistent with the known properties of hydrogen, which is the simplest and lightest element.

Final Answer

A hydrogen atom has 0 neutrons.