Parts of an Atom

First off, what is an atom?

Atoms

are the smallest parts to

which an element can be divided
yet still be that element.
Atoms are the building blocks of all
matter.

How small is an atom?

An

atom is so small that a penny

contains about 2 x 1022 or
20,000,000,000,000,000,000,000
atoms!!!

But theres more

Atoms

consist of even smaller particles.

These include:
Protons
Neutrons
Electrons

Parts of an Atom

The protons and

neutrons make up
the center or
nucleus.

The Nucleus
The

center of an atom
Small, dense (packed tightly)
Contains protons and neutrons:
most of the atoms mass
So dense, if it were the size of a
grape, it would weigh over 9 million
tons!

Protons
Located

in the

nucleus
Positive charge (+)
Mass of 1 atomic
mass unit (amu)

protons = positive

Neutrons
Located

in the

nucleus
Have no charge
- neutral
Mass of 1 amu
neutrons = neutral

Electrons
Found

outside of the nucleus in electron

clouds
(think of rings around a target)
Negatively charged (-)
Mass of almost zero
Number of electrons equals the numbers
of protons to cancel out the charges
(think of -1+1=0)
electrons = negative

Review: Parts of an Atom

Parts

Charge

Location

Mass

Proton

Positive (+)

Nucleus

1 amu

Neutron

No charge

Nucleus

1 amu

Electron

Negative (-)

Electron
Clouds

Almost zero