Zinc
Atomic number 30 means that every Zinc nucleus contains 30 protons. That proton count is the element's identity: change it and you no longer have Zinc.
Start with the nucleus
Atomic number 30 means that every Zinc nucleus contains 30 protons. That proton count is the element's identity: change it and you no longer have Zinc.
Zinc (Zn) is chemical element 30. It belongs to the transition metals, and its reference state at room temperature is a solid. Those basic facts are a useful starting point for its chemistry and applications.
In practice, it turns up most often in galvanising, brass and biology.
See the atom
Conceptual visual: electron shells are a learning aid, not a literal picture of quantum orbitals.
What this number means
Atomic number 30 means that every Zinc nucleus contains 30 protons. That proton count is the element's identity: change it and you no longer have Zinc.