Kaplan Nursing Entrance Practice Exam 2025 – The All-in-One Guide to Exam Success!

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As you move from left to right across a period in the periodic table, what happens to the number of electrons?

It stays the same

It decreases by one

It increases by one

As you move from left to right across a period in the periodic table, the number of electrons increases by one for each successive element. This is because, as you progress across a period, each element has an additional proton in its nucleus compared to the one before it. Since atoms are electrically neutral in their standard state (meaning they have equal numbers of protons and electrons), each increase in protons corresponds to an increase in the number of electrons.

For example, if you look at the first period, it begins with hydrogen, which has one electron, and as you move to helium, which has two electrons, you can see how the number of electrons corresponds directly to the atomic number. This pattern continues consistently across the periodic table, supporting the idea that the number of electrons increases as you move to the right. Thus, the correct answer reflects this fundamental property of atomic structure in the periodic table.

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It fluctuates

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