Subatomic Particles
What is a proton?
It is a subatomic particle that carries a positive charge and lives inside the nucleus.
This number equals the total count of protons in the nucleus of an atom.
Atomic number
The smallest particle of an element that takes part in a chemical reaction.
Atom
Neon
Monoatomic
Sulphuric acid
H2SO4
What is a neutron?
It is a subatomic particle that has no electrical charge (it is neutral).
You calculate the number of neutrons in an atom by subtracting the atomic number from this.
Mass number
A group of atoms of the same or different elements that has an independent existence.
Molecule
Ozone
Triatomic
Copper sulphate
CuSO4
What is an electron?
It is a negatively charged particle that moves rapidly in orbits or shells around the nucleus.
In a normal, electrically neutral atom, the number of protons always equals the number of these.
Electrons
The combining capacity of an atom (measured by how many hydrogen atoms or chlorine atoms it can combine with).
Valency
Chlorine
Diatomic
Calcium hydroxide
Ca(OH)2
What is the nucleus?
The central core of an atom that contains both protons and neutrons.
If an atom has an atomic number of 11 and a mass number of 23, this is how many neutrons it has.
12
An atom or group of atoms that carries a net positive or negative electrical charge.
Ion
Phosphorus
Polyatomic
Sodium hydroxide
NaOH