Three particles, three charges
Electron, proton and neutron.
Three building blocks
An atom is made of smaller particles. One of them is negative, one is positive and one has no charge.
How many different subatomic particles make up an atom?
What this lesson covers
The idea
An atom is made of three subatomic particles: the electron (e⁻, relative charge –1), the proton (p⁺, relative charge +1) and the neutron (n⁰, relative charge 0).
Three building blocks
An atom is made of smaller particles. One of them is negative, one is positive and one has no charge.
How many different subatomic particles make up an atom?
- Three
- Two
- Five
Match the particles
Match each particle with its symbol and relative charge.
Table 8.1
An atom has three subatomic particles. Their symbols and relative charges are in the table.
An atom is made of three subatomic particles: the electron (e⁻, relative charge −1), the proton (p⁺, relative charge +1) and the neutron (n⁰, relative charge 0).
- Subatomic particle | Symbol | Relative charge
- Electron | e⁻ | −1
- Proton | p⁺ | +1
- Neutron | n⁰ | 0
Notes
An atom has three subatomic particles: electron (e⁻, −1), proton (p⁺, +1) and neutron (n⁰, 0).
Check yourself
Which particle has a relative charge of +1?
Which symbol is used for the electron?
The relative charge of a neutron is …
Which two particles are found in the nucleus?
- Electron. The electron has a relative charge of −1.
- Neutron. The neutron has a relative charge of 0.
- Proton — correct. Yes!
- e⁻ — correct. Yes!
- p⁺. This is the symbol of the proton.
- n⁰. This is the symbol of the neutron.
- +1. The relative charge +1 belongs to the proton.
- 0 — correct. Yes!
- −1. The relative charge −1 belongs to the electron.
- Electrons and protons. Electrons revolve around the nucleus.
- Electrons and neutrons. Electrons revolve around the nucleus.
- Protons and neutrons — correct. Yes!