The ion Al³⁺, which represents aluminum in its +3 oxidation state, has 13 protons and 10 electrons. To understand this, we can break it down further.
Aluminum (Al) has an atomic number of 13, which means every neutral aluminum atom has 13 protons in its nucleus. In the case of the Al³⁺ ion, it has lost three electrons to achieve a +3 charge. Consequently, the number of electrons is calculated by subtracting the charge from the number of protons: 13 protons – 3 electrons = 10 electrons.
In summary, Al³⁺ contains 13 protons and 10 electrons, leading to its net positive charge.