To find the number of electrons in an iron atom, you need to consider whether the iron is a neutral atom or an ion. Here's how:
Neutral Iron (Fe)
According to the reference video, for a neutral element, the number of protons equals the number of electrons.
- Iron (Fe) has an atomic number of 26.
- The atomic number represents the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom.
- Therefore, a neutral iron atom has 26 protons.
- Since the number of protons equals the number of electrons in a neutral atom, a neutral iron atom also has 26 electrons.
Iron Ions (e.g., Fe2+, Fe3+)
If iron is an ion (meaning it has a charge), the number of electrons will be different from the number of protons. The reference video doesn't explicitly explain how to determine this, but based on general chemical principles:
- Positive ions (cations): These are formed when an atom loses electrons. For example, Fe2+ (Iron(II)) has lost 2 electrons, so it has 26 (original electrons) - 2 = 24 electrons. Fe3+ (Iron(III)) has lost 3 electrons, resulting in 26 - 3 = 23 electrons.
- Negative ions (anions): These are formed when an atom gains electrons. Iron does not commonly form negative ions.
In summary, for neutral iron, the number of electrons is directly equivalent to its number of protons (26). However, iron ions will have a different number of electrons depending on their charge, due to either loss or gain of electrons.
