Subatomic Particles

Front

What is the nucleus of an atom?

Back

The nucleus is the central part of an atom where most of its mass is concentrated, containing protons and neutrons.

Front

What determines the identity of an element?

Back

The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom determines the identity of an element.

Front

What charge does an electron have?

Back

An electron has a negative charge.

Front

What is the mass of a proton?

Back

The mass of a proton is approximately 1 atomic mass unit (amu).

Front

What is the mass of a neutron?

Back

The mass of a neutron is approximately 1 atomic mass unit (amu).

Front

What is an atomic number?

Back

The atomic number is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom, which defines the element.

Front

What is an isotope?

Back

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

Front

What is the electron cloud?

Back

The electron cloud is the region around the nucleus of an atom where electrons are likely to be found.

Front

What is the charge of a proton?

Back

A proton has a positive charge.

Front

What is the role of neutrons in an atom?

Back

Neutrons help to stabilize the nucleus by offsetting the repulsive forces between protons.