Introduction of Atom

Introduction of Atom

We know that Atoms make up everything. From the air we breathe to food we eat and even the sun itself. Because of the study and research that has been done previously throughout history we know that each atom is made up of three parts: proton, neutron, and electron. When atoms combine it make compounds. The most basic atoms are called elements. Right now, scientist knows for sure that there are currently 118 known elements 90 of them occurring naturally and the other 28 are man-made; however in future time, the discovery of a new atom might still be possible.

Now I'm going to break down and give a brief explanation of the three main part that makes up an atom. Protons are positively charged particles found in atomic nuclei. They were discovered by Ernest Rutherford(New Zealand-born British physicist who became known as the father of nuclear physics) in experiments conducted between 1911 and 1919.

The number of protons in an atom defines what element it is. For example, carbon atoms have six protons, hydrogen atoms have one and oxygen atoms have eight. The number of protons in an atom is referred to as the atomic number of that element. The number of protons in an atom also determines the chemical behavior of the element. The Periodic Table of the Elements arranges elements in order of increasing atomic number.

Electrons have a negative charge and are electrically attracted to the positively charged protons. Electrons surround the atomic nucleus in pathways called orbitals. The inner orbitals surrounding the atom are spherical but the outer orbitals are much more complicated.

Neutrons, Neutrons are the particles in an atom that have a neutral charge. They aren't positive like protons. They aren't negative like electrons. Neutrons were discovered by James Chadwick (English physicist) in 1932. are uncharged particles found within atomic nuclei. A neutron mass is slightly larger than proton. Along with protons, neutrons make up the nucleus (the center of an atom, where it will be surounded by orbiting electrons)