To determine the number of protons an element has, we need to refer to its atomic number. The atomic number of an element is equal to the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom of that element.
Here are the steps to find the number of protons:
1. Identify the atomic number of the element. In this case, it is given that the atomic number of the element is 16.
2. Recall that the atomic number directly tells us the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom of the element.
Therefore, an element with an atomic number of 16 has 16 protons in its nucleus.
