Atoms, the smallest particles of matter that retain the properties of the matter, are made of protons, electrons, and neutrons. |
Atoms, the smallest particles of matter that retain the properties of matter, consist of protons, electrons and neutrons. |
Protons have a positive charge, Electrons have a negative charge that cancels the proton's positive charge. |
Protons have a positive charge, electrons have a negative charge, which cancels the positive charge of the proton. |
Neutrons are particles that are similar to a proton but have a neutral charge. |
Neutrons are particles that are similar to a proton but have a neutral charge. |
There are no differences between positive and negative charges except that particles with the same charge repel each other and particles with opposite charges attract each other. |
There is no difference between positive and negative charges, except that particles with the same charge repel each other, and particles with opposite charges attract each other. |
If a solitary positive proton and negative electron are placed near each other they will come together to form a hydrogen atom. |
If a solitary positive proton and a negative electron are adjacent to each other, they will combine to form a hydrogen atom. |
This repulsion and attraction (force between stationary charged particles) is known as the Electrostatic Force and extends theoretically to infinity, but is diluted as the distance between particles increases. |
This repulsion and attraction (the force between stationary charged particles) is known as electrostatic force and theoretically extends to infinity, but decreases as the distance between the particles increases. |
When an atom has one or more missing electrons it is left with a positive charge, and when an atom has at least one extra electron it has a negative charge. |
When an atom has one or more missing electrons, it remains with a positive charge, and when an atom has at least one additional electron, it has a negative charge. |
Having a positive or a negative charge makes an atom an ion. |
The presence of a positive or negative charge turns the atom into an ion. |
Atoms only gain and lose protons and neutrons through fusion, fission, and radioactive decay. |
Atoms receive and lose only protons and neutrons as a result of synthesis, fission and radioactive decay. |
Although atoms are made of many particles and objects are made of many atoms, they behave similarly to charged particles in terms of how they repel and attract. |
Although atoms are made up of many particles, and objects are made up of many atoms, they behave like charged particles in terms of how they are repelled and attracted. |
In an atom the protons and neutrons combine to form a tightly bound nucleus. |
In an atom, protons and neutrons combine to form a closely related nucleus. |
This nucleus is surrounded by a vast cloud of electrons circling it at a distance but held near the protons by electromagnetic attraction (the electrostatic force discussed earlier). |
This nucleus is surrounded by a huge cloud of electrons surrounding it at a distance, but held near protons by electromagnetic attraction (electrostatic force discussed earlier). |
The cloud exists as a series of overlapping shells / bands in which the inner valence bands are filled with electrons and are tightly bound to the atom. |
The cloud exists as a series of overlapping shells / zones in which the internal valence bands are filled with electrons and are closely related to the atom. |
The outer conduction bands contain no electrons except those that have accelerated to the conduction bands by gaining energy. |
External conduction bands contain no electrons except those that accelerate to the conduction band by producing energy. |
With enough energy an electron will escape an atom (compare with the escape velocity of a space rocket). |
With enough energy, the electron will slip away from the atom (compare with the speed of departure of the space rocket). |
When an electron in the conduction band decelerates and falls to another conduction band or the valence band a photon is emitted. |
When an electron in the conduction band slows down and falls into another conduction band or valence band, a photon is emitted. |
This is known as the photoelectric effect. |
This is known as the photoelectric effect. |