chemistry for health sciences quizlet Related

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Which one of the following statements about atomic structure is false?

  • A. An atom is mostly empty space.
  • B. Almost all of the mass of the atom is concentrated in the nucleus.
  • C. The protons and neutrons in the nucleus are very tightly packed.
  • D. The number of protons and neutrons is always the same in the neutral atom.
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D because the statement that the number of protons and neutrons is always the same in a neutral atom is false. In a neutral atom, the number of protons equals the number of electrons, not the number of neutrons. Neutrons are not always equal to the number of protons.

A: An atom is mostly empty space - Correct. This is true because the nucleus is very tiny compared to the overall size of the atom.
B: Almost all of the mass of the atom is concentrated in the nucleus - Correct. This is true because protons and neutrons have much more mass than electrons.
C: The protons and neutrons in the nucleus are very tightly packed - Correct. This is true because protons and neutrons are densely packed within the nucleus.