Question

how many protons would be found in the ion whose symbol is given below? o^{2-} protons

Explanation:

Step1: Recall the atomic number concept

The atomic number of an element is equal to the number of protons in its atom. For oxygen (\(O\)), the atomic number \(Z = 8\).

Step2: Consider the ion formation

When an atom forms an ion (in this case \(O^{2 - }\)), the number of protons does not change. Only the number of electrons changes (gaining 2 electrons in \(O^{2 - }\)).

Answer:

8