How is the number of electrons of an atom of a chemical element determined?

The number of electrons in an atom in a neutral state (uncharged) is equal to the number of protons in a given atom.

The “n” number of protons determines which atom you are processing. The number of protons changes, say, in alpha radiation, where an atom of helium is formed from an atom x, now the atom will be an atom y.

However, this does not apply to electrons, which cannot tell about the identity of an atom, only how it reacts with other atoms.

Electrons play an important role in chemistry, including the bond between atoms. Charged atoms are linked through covalent bonds, which means they share an electron pair.