Unlike protons and neutrons, which are located in the nucleus at the center of the atom, electrons are located outside the nucleus. Since the opposite electric charges attract each other, the negative electrons are attracted to the positive nucleus. This gravitational pull keeps electrons in constant motion in the otherwise empty space around the nucleus. The following figure is a common way of representing the structure of an atom. It shows the electron as a particle orbiting the nucleus, much like planets orbit the sun. However, this is a bad prospect because electrons are more complicated, as shown by quantum mechanics. Well, while the protons of an element are the same, the number of neutrons can vary from atom to atom. The number of neutrons determines the isotope of an atom. This is important for NRC because the number of neutrons relative to protons determines the stability of the nucleus, with some isotopes decaying radioactively. Although radioactive decay can occur in a variety of ways, it is, in simple terms, the process by which unstable atoms collapse and release particles (and energy). Before we continue, we need to discuss how the different types of subatomic particles interact with each other. When it comes to neutrons, the answer is obvious.
Since neutrons are neither attracted nor repelled by objects, they do not really interact with protons or electrons (apart from being bound in the nucleus with protons). Subatomic particle, also called elementary particles, one of the various autonomous units of matter or energy that are the basic components of all matter. Subatomic particles include electrons, negatively charged, almost massless particles, which nevertheless make up most of the atom`s size, and they include the heavier building blocks of the atom`s small but very dense nucleus, positively charged protons, and electrically neutral neutrons. But these basic atomic components are by no means the only known subatomic particles. Protons and neutrons, for example, are themselves made up of elementary particles called quarks, and the electron is just one member of a class of elementary particles that includes the muon and neutrino. More unusual subatomic particles – such as positron, the electron`s antimatter homolog – have been detected and characterized in interactions with cosmic rays in the Earth`s atmosphere. The field of subatomic particles has expanded dramatically with the construction of powerful particle accelerators to study high-energy collisions of electrons, protons, and other particles with matter. When high-energy particles collide, the collision energy becomes available for the generation of subatomic particles such as mesons and hyperons. Finally, to complete the revolution that began in the early 20th century with theories about the equivalence of matter and energy, the study of subatomic particles was modified by the discovery that the effect of forces is due to the exchange of « force » particles such as photons and gluons. More than 200 subatomic particles have been detected – most of them highly unstable and exist less than a millionth of a second – as a result of collisions caused by reactions with cosmic rays or particle accelerator experiments. Theoretical and experimental research in particle physics, the study of subatomic particles and their properties, has allowed scientists to better understand the nature of matter and energy and the origin of the universe.
Awareness of positive particles in atoms came a decade later, thanks to Rutherford`s famous experiment on alpha particles. Protons and neutrons form the nucleus of an atom. All protons are identical to each other, and all neutrons are identical to each other. Protons have a positive electric charge, so they are often represented by the marking of a « + » sign. Neutrons have no electric charge and are supposed to help hold protons together, as protons are positively charged particles and should repel each other. In general, atoms with roughly corresponding numbers of protons and neutrons are more stable against decay. The nucleus of an atom is surrounded by a cloud of electrons. Remember, electrons are negatively charged and are attracted to positively charged protons in the nucleus. An atom is considered electrically neutral if it has an equal number of protons and electrons. When an atom has a different number of electrons and protons, it is called an ion.
Two of the subatomic particles have electric charges: protons have a positive charge, while electrons have a negative charge. Neutrons, on the other hand, have no charge. A rule of thumb is that particles with the same charge are repelled from each other, while particles of opposite charges are attracted to each other. Similar to the opposite ends of a magnet, protons and electrons are pulled together. Just like when you encounter resistance while trying to squeeze the same ends of two magnets, protons are repelled by other protons and electrons are repelled by other electrons. .