what are found in the core of an atom

1 answer

The core of an atom is called the nucleus, and it contains two types of subatomic particles:

  1. Protons: These are positively charged particles. The number of protons in the nucleus determines the atomic number of an element and thus its identity (e.g., hydrogen has 1 proton, carbon has 6 protons).

  2. Neutrons: These are neutral particles with no charge. Neutrons contribute to the mass of the atom and play a role in the stability of the nucleus. The number of neutrons, along with the number of protons, determines the isotope of the element (e.g., carbon-12 has 6 neutrons, while carbon-14 has 8 neutrons).

The nucleus is surrounded by a cloud of electrons, which are negatively charged particles, but they are not part of the nucleus itself. Electrons occupy various energy levels or shells around the nucleus.