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Given below are two statements:
Statement I: Atoms are electrically neutral as they contain equal number of positive and negative charges.
Statement II: Atoms of each element are stable and emit their characteristic spectrum.
In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below.

Asked in NEET 2024 · Rutherford's model and its limits

Answer: (1) Statement I is correct but Statement II is incorrect

Step-by-step solution

Statement I: an atom carries as much negative charge in its electrons as positive charge in its nucleus, so it is neutral. True.

Statement II: the atoms of most elements are stable, but not of every element; radioactive atoms decay. As a statement about each element it is not correct.

This question was disputed after NEET 2024. The Supreme Court asked an IIT Delhi expert panel to rule on it, and the panel held that only option (1) is correct.

Why the other options are wrong

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