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An element in the periodic table can be identified by its:
Valence electrons
Atomic mass
Atomic number
Electron configuration
The correct answer is: Atomic number
The element can be identified by its atomic number since it is unique for each element and denotes the number of protons in the nucleus of that element. Valence electrons (A) and electron configuration (D) are properties of an element that can be determined by its atomic number, but they are not specific enough to identify the element on their own. Atomic mass (B) is not a reliable identifier since different elements can have the same atomic mass.