/**
 * A data model for an element.
 * @author Paul Gestwicki
 */
public class Element {

    /**
     * The name of an element.  This is the element's full name,
     * such as oxygen or lithium.
     */
    private String name;

    /**
     * The abbreviation for an element.  This is the official abbreviation
     * as would appear in a periodic table.  For example, the abbreviation
     * for Oxygen is O.
     */
    private String abbreviation;

    /**
     * The atomic number of the element.  This is the number of protons
     * contained in an atom's nucleus.
     */
    private int atomicNumber;

    /**
     * Public element constructor.
     * @param name the name of the element
     * @param abbreviation the element's official abbreviation
     * @param number the element's atomic number
     */
    public Element(String name, String abbreviation, int number) {
	this.name = name;
	this.abbreviation = abbreviation;
	this.atomicNumber = number;
    }

    /**
     * Get the element's abbreviation.
     * @return element abbreviation
     * @see #abbreviation
     */
    public String getAbbreviation() { return abbreviation; }

    /**
     * Get the element's atomic number.
     * @return atomic number
     * @see #atomicNumber
     */
    public int getAtomicNumber() { return atomicNumber; }  

    /**
     * Get the name of the element as a string.
     * @return element's name
     * @see #name
     */
    public String getName() { return name; }
}