Protons, Neutrons and Electrons

Front

What are protons?

Back

Protons are positively charged subatomic particles found in the nucleus of an atom. They determine the atomic number of an element.

Front

What are neutrons?

Back

Neutrons are neutral subatomic particles found in the nucleus of an atom. They contribute to the atomic mass but do not affect the charge of the atom.

Front

What are electrons?

Back

Electrons are negatively charged subatomic particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom. They are responsible for the chemical properties of an element.

Front

What is the atomic number?

Back

The atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom, which determines the element's identity.

Front

How do you find the number of neutrons in an atom?

Back

To find the number of neutrons, subtract the atomic number from the atomic mass (rounded to the nearest whole number).

Front

What is the atomic mass?

Back

The atomic mass is the weighted average mass of an element's isotopes, measured in atomic mass units (amu).

Front

What is an isotope?

Back

Isotopes are variants of a chemical element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.

Front

What is the charge of a proton?

Back

The charge of a proton is +1.

Front

What is the charge of a neutron?

Back

The charge of a neutron is 0 (neutral).

Front

What is the charge of an electron?

Back

The charge of an electron is -1.