Hi everyone! Just wanted to quickly clarify, neutrons determine physical properties while electrons determine chemical properties, can protons determine both? Thanks!
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Hi!
Electrons do determine the chemical properties of an element but in a neutral atom we have a same no. of protons and electrons and further the number of protons determine the number of electrons.
Hence, we can say that indirectly it do have a effect on the chemical properties of an atom.
But one thing confused me what if we consider ions they have different no.'s of protons and electrons so here does protons have any role in chemical properties or not?
What’s your take on it?
Yeah! That’s what I thought too, I mean effective nuclear charge does affect how it attracts the valence electrons too which is due to the protons. But I’m not entirely sure since protons and electrons are the same when it’s not an ion and the change into an ion depends on the release or addition of electrons.
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Hey Raya,
In my opinion, I think protons will determine both physical and chemical properties as the atomic number ( number of protons ) is what determines an element( for eg, atomic number 11 is sodium and atomic number 8 is oxygen ). Since different elements have different physical and chemical properties , my guess is that it will affect both.
Hi guys!
In my opinion, protons do not determine the chemical properties, because even when we have an ion like Na+ its stable because it has full valence layer of electrons. Thus, only electrons should determine chemical properties and only neutrons physical properties.
Please correct me if Im wrong:)
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Hey! What Darius says makes sense, I didn’t think about the nature of the ions but only about the elements. For an atom, protons reflect chemical properties but not for ions I guess. :((. Thanks guys,I learned something from you guys again 
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Yes! Your explanation makes sense for ions of the same element that’'s for sure. Thanks Darius! :)) Technically protons would just affect the identity of the element.
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Yess, in general you are definitely right I was thinking about the same element, but since it’s unique to each element it definitely determines the physical properties of that (mass), but in turn it affects electron number too which therefore affects chemical properties. Thank you so much for your explanation! :))
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