1. Identify the Number of Protons in Each Atom:
* Nitrogen (N): Nitrogen has 7 protons (its atomic number is 7).
* Hydrogen (H): Hydrogen has 1 proton.
2. Calculate the Total Number of Protons:
* Nitrogen: 1 nitrogen atom * 7 protons/atom = 7 protons
* Hydrogen: 3 hydrogen atoms * 1 proton/atom = 3 protons
* Total: 7 protons + 3 protons = 10 protons
3. Convert to Mass (Optional):
The mass of a single proton is approximately 1.007276 atomic mass units (amu). To get the total mass of protons in the ammonia molecule:
* 10 protons * 1.007276 amu/proton ≈ 10.07276 amu
Therefore, a typical ammonia (NH₃) molecule contains 10 protons, with a total mass of approximately 10.07276 amu.
