Which of the following best explains how a carbon atom differs from a hydrogen atom?

• A. A carbon atom has a lower atomic number than a hydrogen atom.
• B. A carbon atom has the same number of electrons as a hydrogen atom.
• C. A carbon atom has more protons in its nucleus than a hydrogen atom.
• D. A carbon atom has fewer neutrons than a hydrogen atom.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall that the atomic number of an element is defined as the number of protons in its nucleus. This number uniquely identifies the element.
2. Compare the atomic numbers of carbon and hydrogen: hydrogen has an atomic number of 1, meaning it has 1 proton, while carbon has an atomic number of 6, meaning it has 6 protons.
3. Understand that the number of electrons in a neutral atom equals the number of protons, so carbon and hydrogen do not have the same number of electrons.
4. Recognize that the number of neutrons can vary among isotopes of the same element, so comparing neutrons between different elements is not a definitive way to distinguish them.
5. Conclude that the best explanation for how a carbon atom differs from a hydrogen atom is that carbon has more protons in its nucleus than hydrogen.