What does Atomic Number mean?
Definitions for Atomic Number
atom·ic num·ber
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word Atomic Number.
Princeton's WordNet
atomic numbernoun
the order of an element in Mendeleyev's table of the elements; equal to the number of protons in the nucleus or electrons in the neutral state of an atom of an element
Wiktionary
atomic numbernoun
The number, equal to the number of protons in an atom that determines its chemical properties. Symbol: Z
Wikipedia
Atomic number
The atomic number or nuclear charge number (symbol Z) of a chemical element is the charge number of an atomic nucleus. For ordinary nuclei, this is equal to the proton number (np) or the number of protons found in the nucleus of every atom of that element. The atomic number can be used to uniquely identify ordinary chemical elements. In an ordinary uncharged atom, the atomic number is also equal to the number of electrons. For an ordinary atom, the sum of the atomic number Z and the neutron number N gives the atom's atomic mass number A. Since protons and neutrons have approximately the same mass (and the mass of the electrons is negligible for many purposes) and the mass defect of the nucleon binding is always small compared to the nucleon mass, the atomic mass of any atom, when expressed in unified atomic mass units (making a quantity called the "relative isotopic mass"), is within 1% of the whole number A. Atoms with the same atomic number but different neutron numbers, and hence different mass numbers, are known as isotopes. A little more than three-quarters of naturally occurring elements exist as a mixture of isotopes (see monoisotopic elements), and the average isotopic mass of an isotopic mixture for an element (called the relative atomic mass) in a defined environment on Earth, determines the element's standard atomic weight. Historically, it was these atomic weights of elements (in comparison to hydrogen) that were the quantities measurable by chemists in the 19th century. The conventional symbol Z comes from the German word Zahl 'number', which, before the modern synthesis of ideas from chemistry and physics, merely denoted an element's numerical place in the periodic table, whose order was then approximately, but not completely, consistent with the order of the elements by atomic weights. Only after 1915, with the suggestion and evidence that this Z number was also the nuclear charge and a physical characteristic of atoms, did the word Atomzahl (and its English equivalent atomic number) come into common use in this context.
ChatGPT
atomic number
The atomic number of an element, often represented by the symbol Z, is the number represents the number of protons found in the nucleus of an atom of that element. It is also identical to the charge number of the nucleus, defining the identity of an element and also determines its position in the periodic table.
Wikidata
Atomic number
In chemistry and physics, the atomic number is the number of protons found in the nucleus of an atom and therefore identical to the charge number of the nucleus. It is conventionally represented by the symbol Z. The atomic number uniquely identifies a chemical element. In an atom of neutral charge, the atomic number is also equal to the number of electrons. The atomic number, Z, should not be confused with the mass number, A, which is the number of nucleons, the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom. The number of neutrons, N, is known as the neutron number of the atom; thus, A = Z + N. Since protons and neutrons have approximately the same mass, and the mass defect of nucleon binding is always small compared to the nucleon mass, the atomic mass of any atom, when expressed in unified atomic mass units is roughly equal to the whole number A. Atoms having the same atomic number Z but different neutron number N, and hence different atomic masses, are known as isotopes. A little more than three-quarters of naturally occurring elements exist as a mixture of isotopes, and the average isotopic mass of an isotopic mixture for an element in a defined environment on Earth, determines the element's standard atomic weight. Historically, it was these atomic weights of elements that were the quantities measurable by chemists in the 19th century.
Matched Categories
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of Atomic Number in Chaldean Numerology is: 8
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of Atomic Number in Pythagorean Numerology is: 8
Translations for Atomic Number
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- nombre atòmicCatalan, Valencian
- atomové čísloCzech
- rhif atomigWelsh
- Ordnungszahl, Kernladungszahl, AtomnummerGerman
- ατομικός αριθμόςGreek
- número atómicoSpanish
- aatominumberEstonian
- järjestysluku, atomilukuFinnish
- numéro atomique, nombre atomiqueFrench
- numero atomicInterlingua
- atomala nombroIdo
- numero atomicoItalian
- 原子番号Japanese
- 原子番號, 원자번호Korean
- атомски бројMacedonian
- atoomnummerDutch
- liczba atomowaPolish
- número atómicoPortuguese
- număr de ordine atomic, număr de protoni, număr atomicRomanian
- зарядовое число, атомный номер, атомное число, порядковый номерRussian
- atomnummerSwedish
- పరమాణు సంఖ్యTelugu
- atom numarasıTurkish
- số nguyên tửVietnamese
- 原子數Chinese
Get even more translations for Atomic Number »
Translation
Find a translation for the Atomic Number definition in other languages:
Select another language:
- - Select -
- 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
- 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
- Español (Spanish)
- Esperanto (Esperanto)
- 日本語 (Japanese)
- Português (Portuguese)
- Deutsch (German)
- العربية (Arabic)
- Français (French)
- Русский (Russian)
- ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
- 한국어 (Korean)
- עברית (Hebrew)
- Gaeilge (Irish)
- Українська (Ukrainian)
- اردو (Urdu)
- Magyar (Hungarian)
- मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
- Indonesia (Indonesian)
- Italiano (Italian)
- தமிழ் (Tamil)
- Türkçe (Turkish)
- తెలుగు (Telugu)
- ภาษาไทย (Thai)
- Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
- Čeština (Czech)
- Polski (Polish)
- Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
- Românește (Romanian)
- Nederlands (Dutch)
- Ελληνικά (Greek)
- Latinum (Latin)
- Svenska (Swedish)
- Dansk (Danish)
- Suomi (Finnish)
- فارسی (Persian)
- ייִדיש (Yiddish)
- հայերեն (Armenian)
- Norsk (Norwegian)
- English (English)
Word of the Day
Would you like us to send you a FREE new word definition delivered to your inbox daily?
Citation
Use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography:
Style:MLAChicagoAPA
"Atomic Number." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 17 Feb. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/Atomic+Number>.
Discuss these Atomic Number definitions with the community:
Report Comment
We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.
If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.
Attachment
You need to be logged in to favorite.
Log In