Subatomic Particles Quiz

If an atom has 16 protons, how many electrons does it have?

What is the relationship between atomic number and the number of protons in an atom?

In an atom with 20 neutrons and an atomic number of 13, how many protons are present?

For an atom to be electrically neutral, what must be true about the number of protons and electrons?

What is the relationship between mass number and the total number of nucleons in an atom?

Which subatomic particle determines the chemical properties of an element?

In complete chemical symbol notation, where is the mass number placed?

What determines the chemical properties of an atom?

How do isotopes differ from each other?

Which subatomic particle varies in number among atoms of the same element?

For an atom with an atomic number of 20, how many electrons are present if it is a neutral atom?

What is the total number of nucleons in an atom with an atomic number of 40 and a mass number of 90?

Subatomic Particles

An electron is a subatomic particle with a negative electrical charge.
A proton is a subatomic particle with a positive electrical charge.
A neutron is a subatomic particle with no charge associated with it, making it neutral.

Atomic Structure

Protons and neutrons are located in the nucleus, which is the small, dense, positively charged center of an atom.
Electrons are located outside the nucleus, in the electron cloud.
The nucleus is positively charged due to the presence of positively charged protons.
An atom has no net electrical charge, as the number of positive and negative charges must be equal.

Charge and Mass Characteristics

Electrons have a negative charge and a small mass.
Protons have a positive charge and a larger mass than electrons.
Neutrons have no charge and a slightly larger mass than protons.

Atomic Number and Mass Number

The atomic number (Z) is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom.
The atomic number also specifies the number of electrons in an atom.
The mass number (A) is the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus.

Calculating Subatomic Particles

Number of protons = atomic number (Z)
Number of electrons = atomic number (Z)
Number of neutrons = mass number (A) - atomic number (Z)

Isotopes

Isotopes are atoms of an element with the same atomic number but different mass numbers.
Isotopes have the same number of protons and electrons but differ in the number of neutrons.

Atom Size Relationships

The nucleus is extremely small, with a radius of about 1/100 000 of the total radius of the atom.
The size of the nucleus is comparable to a baseball (about 2.9 inches in diameter).

Test your knowledge about the characteristics and arrangement of subatomic particles like electrons, protons, and neutrons within an atom. Learn about their charges, masses, and locations within the atom.