Number of Protons in an Atom Determines the Element’s Identity

• The number of protons located in an atom’s nucleus determines the element’s identity.
• The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom is called the atomic number.
• Each element has a unique chemical name and symbol.
• The symbol can either be one or two letters.
• O (oxygen) or Fe (iron)
• The elements are arranged on the periodic table in order of their atomic numbers.