Everything in the universe is made up of matter. Matter itself is made up of tiny particles called atoms, which are the basic building blocks of chemistry. Each atom is made up of three smaller particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons. In this article, we’ll focus on protons. Protons are subatomic particles found in the nucleus, or center, of every atom. They carry a positive electrical charge, which is equal in strength to the negative charge of an electron.
Keep reading to explore more about the structure, mass, and properties of protons, and how they compare to electrons.
Proton
- A proton is a fundamental particle found in the nucleus of every atom.
- It carries a single positive charge and has a mass nearly the same as that of a hydrogen atom.
- The charge of a proton is approximately 1.602 × 10⁻¹⁹ coulombs, and its mass is about 1.673 × 10⁻²⁷ kilograms.
- Protons are represented by the symbol “p,” and their relative charge is considered to be 1.
- Notably, a proton’s mass is 1,836 times greater than that of an electron.
- Additionally, the density of a proton is extremely high, around 10¹⁸ kg/m³.
Proton Structure
- Protons have an internal structure composed of even smaller particles.
- A proton is made up of three quarks—two up quarks and one down quark—held together by particles called gluons.
- In addition to these quarks, there are many quark-antiquark pairs within the proton, mostly made up of up quarks, down quarks, and occasionally strange quarks, all with various quantum numbers.
- These quarks, antiquarks, and gluons are in constant motion, frequently colliding with each other. The dynamic nature of these particles contributes to the complex structure of the proton.
Mass of Proton
The mass of protons mainly comes from the energy of the gluons that bind the quarks together, while only a small portion of the proton’s mass is due to the quarks themselves.
The mass of a proton is approximately 938.272 MeV/c², but the combined mass of the three quarks inside is only about 12 MeV/c².
In terms of electric charge, up quarks have a charge of +2/3e, while down quarks have a charge of -1/3e. Gluons, which are responsible for holding the quarks together, have no charge. The total charge of a proton is the result of the charges from its quarks: two up quarks contribute +2/3e each, and one down quark contributes -1/3e. When you add these together, the total electric charge of a proton is +1e, which gives the proton its positive charge.
(2/3) e+(2/3)e–(1/3)e=e
Properties of Proton
Here are the key properties of a proton:
- Protons are located within the nucleus, the dense central region of an atom.
- The mass of a proton is nearly equal to the mass of a hydrogen atom.
- The mass of a nucleus is primarily made up of protons and neutrons.
- Protons carry a positive charge of approximately 1.602 × 10⁻¹⁹ coulombs.
- The atomic number of an element, which defines the element, is determined by the number of protons in its nucleus.
- A proton’s mass is 1,836 times greater than the mass of an electron.
- The actual mass of a proton is about 1.673 × 10⁻²⁷ kilograms.
Difference Between Proton and Electron
Here’s a table comparing protons and electrons:
| Property | Proton | Electron |
|---|---|---|
| Charge | Positive | Negative |
| Location | Inside the nucleus, not mobile | Revolves around the nucleus in fixed orbitals, mobile |
| Symbol | p | e |
| Energy for Removal | Requires a lot of energy to add or remove | Requires less energy to add or remove |
| Mass | Dense, with a mass much greater than that of an electron | Mass is 1/1836 of a proton’s mass |
| Involvement in Reactions | Involved in nuclear reactions, not in chemical reactions | Involved in chemical reactions |
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Protons FAQs
A proton is a subatomic particle found in the nucleus of an atom. It is composed of three fundamental particles called quarks: two “up” quarks and one “down” quark. These quarks are held together by the strong force, which is mediated by particles known as gluons.
Here’s a quick breakdown:
Quarks: Two up quarks (each with a charge of +2/3) and one down quark (with a charge of -1/3).
Gluons: These particles act as the “glue” that holds the quarks together within the proton.
The mass of a proton is approximately 1.6726219×10−27
kilograms. This is about 1,836 times the mass of an electron.
The proton was discovered by Ernest Rutherford in 1917. Rutherford’s experiments demonstrated that the nucleus of the hydrogen atom (a proton) is present in the nuclei of all other atoms.
The atomic mass of a proton is approximately 1.007276466812 atomic mass units (amu). This value is very close to 1 amu, which is often used as a reference point in atomic mass calculations.
Protons themselves don’t have a chemical formula since they are subatomic particles. However, a proton can be represented as a hydrogen ion (H⁺) because a hydrogen atom consists of one proton and one electron. When the electron is removed, what remains is a proton (H⁺).
