Introduction to the makeup of an atom

A neutral atom has an equal number of positively charged protons and negatively charged electrons. These charges cancel each other out, resulting in a net overall charge of 0.

The atomic mass unit (amu) is specifically defined to express the extremely small masses of atoms and subatomic particles. Grams and kilograms are metric units of mass used for macroscopic objects, while centimeters measure length.

Neutrons are neutral subatomic particles located in the nucleus of an atom and carry no electrical charge. Protons carry a positive charge, while electrons carry a negative charge.

Protons are positively charged subatomic particles found in the nucleus of an atom. Neutrons have no charge, and electrons have a negative charge.

Electrons are negatively charged subatomic particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom. Protons are positively charged, and neutrons have no charge.

Electrons have a negligible mass of about 1/1836 of a proton or neutron, making them by far the smallest and lightest of the three main subatomic particles. Protons and neutrons are much larger and heavier, residing in the nucleus.

The nucleus contains protons and neutrons, which are nearly 2000 times more massive than electrons. Consequently, virtually all of an atom's mass is concentrated in this tiny, dense central region.

The nucleus of an atom is composed of protons and neutrons, which are collectively called nucleons. Electrons orbit outside the nucleus in the electron cloud.

Although atoms contain a dense nucleus and orbiting electrons, the distance between them is vast compared to their sizes. Therefore, the volume of an atom consists almost entirely of empty space.

Atoms are the basic building blocks of all ordinary matter in the universe. While atoms can combine to form molecules, not all matter is molecular, but all matter is composed of atoms.