Question

15. Explain Can the mass

number of an atom ever be
smaller than its atomic num-
ber?

Answer 1

No it cannot

Step-by-step explanation:

The mass number of an atom is equal to the sum of the number of neutrons plus the number of protons in that atom. While the atomic number isjust the number of protons in it.

Therefore the number of protons + number of neutrons cannot be smaller than the number of protons.