There are six electrons, six protons and six neutrons in an atom of an element. What is the atomic number of the element ?

The atomic number of an element is defined strictly by the number of protons present in its nucleus [2]. In a neutral atom, the number of protons is also equal to the number of electrons. According to the provided data, the atom contains six protons, six electrons, and six neutrons. Since the atomic number is determined solely by the proton count, the atomic number is 6 [2]. This specific configuration (6 protons and 6 neutrons) identifies the element as Carbon-12, which is the most stable isotope of carbon. While the mass number is the sum of protons and neutrons (6 + 6 = 12), the atomic number remains 6 regardless of the number of neutrons or electrons [2]. Therefore, an element with six protons always has an atomic number of 6 [2].

Sources

1. [1] https://www.energy.gov/science/doe-explainsisotopes
2. [2] https://remm.hhs.gov/atomicshorthand.htm