Today, we know that the atomic number gives thenumber of protons (positive charges) in the

nucleus. This was the discovery made by Henry Gwyn-JefferiesMoseley. He found that certain
lines in the X-ray spectrum of each element moved the same amount each time you
increased the atomic number by one.

Atomic Number
The number of protons in an atom defines what element it is. For example
carbonatoms have six protons, hydrogen atoms have one, and oxygen atoms have
eight. The number of protons in an atom is referred to as the atomic number of
thatelement.
What are atomic numbers on the periodic table?
The mass number (represented by the letter A) is defined as the total number of
protons and neutrons in an atom. Consider the table below, which shows data from the
first six elements of the periodic table. Consider the element helium. Its atomic
number is 2, so it has two protons in its nucleus.A