1. Protons:
- Positively charged particles located in the nucleus of the atom.
- Each proton carries a charge equal to the magnitude of the charge of an electron but with the opposite sign.
- The number of protons in the nucleus defines the atomic number of the element and determines its chemical properties.
2. Neutrons:
- Neutral particles also located in the nucleus of an atom.
- Neutrons do not carry any electrical charge.
- The number of neutrons in an atom can vary, giving rise to different isotopes of the same element. Isotopes have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.
3. Electrons:
- Negatively charged particles found orbiting the nucleus of the atom in specific regions known as electron shells or energy levels.
- Each electron carries a charge equal in magnitude but opposite in sign to that of a proton.
-The number of electrons surrounding the nucleus is equal to the number of protons, resulting in a neutral overall charge for a neutral atom.
- The arrangement of electrons in shells and their interactions determine the chemical behavior of the atom.
