What are Atoms?
Like a single scoop of ice cream (the smallest amount of ice cream you can get at the store) an atom is the smallest amount of an element. It is made up of 3 even smaller particles. These “subatomic particles” are called protons, neutrons, and electrons. Subatomic particles carry positive, negative, and neutral charges to help the atoms connect to other atoms and form molecules and compounds. Drag your cursor over the atom to find out what kind of charge each subatomic particle has:
Protons
Protons (found in the nucleus of an atom) and Electrons (spinning around the center of an atom) are electrically charged. Protons have a positive charge, and electrons have a negative charge.
Neutrons
Neutrons have no electrical charge, and are therefore neutral. Particles which have opposite electrical charges are attracted to each other, causing the particles of the atom to stay together.
Electrons
Electrons are said to orbit around the larger nucleus of the atom. Sometimes these orbits are not circular but irregular in shape due to the electron pull towards the nucleus of the atom and against the other elements. Scientists sometimes refer to these energy levels as electron clouds.