Atomic Number

Real World Example

Imagine trying to organize a bookshelf where each book has a unique identifier that determines its place on the shelf. Just like the books' identifiers dictate where each book belongs, the atomic number, which is the number of protons in an atom's nucleus, determines the atom's identity and its place on the periodic table. In this analogy, the unique identifier of each book is like the number of protons, defining the element just as the identifier decides the book's position on the shelf.