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Protons, Neutrons, and Electrons




An atom consists of a nucleus of protons and neutrons surrounded by electrons. Typically a model is used which has the electrons "orbiting" the nucleus. In the above illustration, protons are white, neutrons are black, and electrons are red.

Notice that each time a new atom is made, an electron, a proton, and a neutron are added.

	protons	neutrons	electrons
hydrogen	1	1	1
helium	2	2	2
lithium	3	3	3
beryllium	4	4	4
boron	5	5	5
carbon	6	6	6
nitrogen	7	7	7
oxygen	8	8	8

The above description is correct:

• An atom with 1 proton, 1 neutron, and 1 electron is called a hydrogen atom.
• An atom with 2 protons, 2 neutrons, and 2 electrons is called a helium atom.
• etc.
• etc.
  You can go to the periodic table, look up 2, find "He" and on a list of atomic symbols and atomic names, you find that "He" is the symbol for helium.

But the above description is incomplete:

• What would you name an atom with 6 protons, 8 neutrons, and 6 electrons?
  We will discuss this further on the page about isotopes. {sorry-not yet constructed}
• What would you name an ion with 11 protons, 11 neutrons, and 10 electrons?
  We will discuss this further on the page about ionic bonds.
  
  
  Charge
  • Nucleus-
    • protons (+1 charge)
    • neutrons (0 charge)
  • Electrons (-1 charge)

Mass

mass of proton - 1.6726 x 10^-27 kg
mass of electron - 9.1096 x 10^-31 kg
mass of neutron - ???

The number of protons in an atom determines the name for the atom.

1. Find the mass of a neutron and cite your reference.
2. Compare your answer to the sum of the mass of the proton and the mass of an electron.

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Last Revised 02/03/98.
Copyright ©1998 by William L. Dechent. All rights reserved.