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Jeff_999 Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
Isn't "its" unwanted?
"Each chemical element is characterized by the number of protons that an atom of that element
contains, called its atomic number. "
Don't you think its here is superfluous?
contains, called its atomic number. "
Don't you think its here is superfluous?
Top answer
No.
- No.
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7 Answers
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I feel Jeff might take as a modifier of just , not of the whole noun phrase .
paco
paco
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Thank you, Dave, Jim, and Paco 
. I know pronoun it refers to 'element'. And I think if we omit 'its' here, the sentence is
. I know pronoun it refers to 'element'. And I think if we omit 'its' here, the sentence is 00
The number of protons is called atomic number.
The above is not grammatical. A "number" is a countable noun.
The following would be correct:
The number of protons is called the atomic number.
An atom's number of protons is called its atomic number.
The above is not grammatical. A "number" is a countable noun.
The following would be correct:
The number of protons is called the atomic number.
An atom's number of protons is called its atomic number.
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Try replacing "its" with "the element's":
The number of protons within each element is called the element's atomic number.
Your example sentence:
. . . , called its atomic number.
should read as follows:
. . . , which is called its atomic number.
The number of protons within each element is called the element's atomic number.
Your example sentence:
. . . , called its atomic number.
should read as follows:
. . . , which is called its atomic number.
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The number of protons is called the atomic number.
Oh yeah, I forgot 'the' here.
And, thank y'all. I've got it now, completely.
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