The element with 16 protons, 17 neutrons, and 16 electrons is Sulfur (S).
To understand why, let’s break it down:
- Protons: The number of protons in an atom determines its atomic number. For sulfur, the atomic number is 16.
- Neutrons: Neutrons contribute to the atomic mass of the element but do not affect its chemical behavior. In this case, sulfur has 17 neutrons. The total number of nucleons (protons + neutrons) gives you the mass number, which for this sulfur isotope is 33 (16 protons + 17 neutrons).
- Electrons: In a neutral atom, the number of protons equals the number of electrons, balancing the positive charge of protons with the negative charge of electrons. Since there are 16 protons, there are also 16 electrons.
Thus, the element is indeed sulfur, specifically the isotope with a mass number of 33, often referred to as sulfur-33.