If all things are made of atoms, then what are atoms made of? It turns out that as small as atoms are, they are composed of even tinier particles, which are called subatomic particles.
Watch this animation to find out what atoms are made of and how they interact. As you watch the segment, you might want to check the definitions of specific terms. In addition to the glossary words listed above, the terms electron, proton and neutron will be described.
Stop the animation at any time, watch it again, or read the transcript.
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All matter is made up of atoms. There are 118 different types of atoms that have been discovered. But what makes one type different from another? It all comes down to the amount of stuff inside the atom. And this “stuff” is made up of three main parts:
The teeny tiny electron can be found orbiting the center of the atom. Depending on how many electrons an atom has, you can find them in different “shells” or orbitals at different distances away from the center. Electrons carry a negative charge.
Protons are found in the center, or nucleus of the atom and they carry a positive charge.
And then there is the neutron. Like its name suggests, this subatomic particle carries no charge, and is found in the nucleus along with the protons. (except in Hydrogen!)
A charge (+/-) is a property of matter to either attract or repel other matter. Kind of like a magnet. The positive/negative charges of these particles are the reason atoms act, interact and react the way they do.
And although atoms are so small that we have never actually been able to see inside one, scientists have been able to pin down the inner workings of all life, matter, and everything in between to these three superstar subatomic particles.
And although atoms are so small that we have never actually been able to see inside one, scientists have been able to uncover the inner workings of all life, matter, and everything in between. And it all stars these three subatomic particles.
List the 3 subatomic particles that make up atoms and describe each one.