What are Electrons?
Electrons are negatively charged particles that are present in the energy shells of an atom surrounding the nucleus. In the year 1897, J.J Thomson discovered electrons with his cathode ray tube experiment. The charge of an electron is equal and opposite to that of a proton held by the atom. Both charges neutralize each other and hence, atoms are neutral in nature.
Properties of Electrons
The basic property of the electrons are,
- Charge of Electron: An electron is a negatively charged particle. It carries a negative unit.
Charge on an electron = -1.602 × 10-19 Coulombs
- Mass of an electron: The mass of an electron is negligible in an atom. Its mass is 1/1837 of a proton.
Mass of a proton = 9.1093 × 10 -31 Kg
What is Atom?
Atoms are tiny particles that comprise all the things in the known universe. Atoms of an element are responsible for all chemical reactions occurring in nature. We know that atoms are made up of three fundamental particles namely,
- Electrons
- Protons
- Neutrons
These particles are also called subatomic particles as they are found inside atoms. An atom is the basic building block of matter and all the thing around us is made up of combing atoms in different proportions. Let’s learn more about Atom, its constituents, and its structure in detail in this article.
Table of Content
- Atom Definition
- Structure of Atom
- History of Atom
- What is the Size of an Atom?
- What is Atomic Mass?