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  • Electron and Proton Count in Gypsum (CaSO₄·2H₂O) - A Detailed Analysis
    You need to be more specific! Gypsum is a compound with the chemical formula CaSO₄·2H₂O. To determine the number of electrons and protons, we need to consider:

    1. The elements involved: Gypsum is made up of calcium (Ca), sulfur (S), oxygen (O), and hydrogen (H).

    2. The number of atoms of each element: In one molecule of gypsum, there is:

    * 1 calcium atom (Ca)

    * 1 sulfur atom (S)

    * 4 oxygen atoms (O)

    * 4 hydrogen atoms (H)

    3. The atomic number of each element: The atomic number tells us the number of protons (and normally also the number of electrons) in a neutral atom:

    * Calcium (Ca): Atomic number 20

    * Sulfur (S): Atomic number 16

    * Oxygen (O): Atomic number 8

    * Hydrogen (H): Atomic number 1

    Calculations:

    * Protons:

    * Ca: 1 atom * 20 protons/atom = 20 protons

    * S: 1 atom * 16 protons/atom = 16 protons

    * O: 4 atoms * 8 protons/atom = 32 protons

    * H: 4 atoms * 1 proton/atom = 4 protons

    * Total protons: 20 + 16 + 32 + 4 = 72 protons

    * Electrons:

    * In a neutral molecule, the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons.

    * Total electrons: 72 electrons

    Therefore, there are 72 protons and 72 electrons in one molecule of gypsum.

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