Atom

An atom is the smallest unit of ordinary matter that forms a chemical element. Every solid, liquid, gas, and plasma is composed of neutral or ionized atoms. They are incredibly small, typically around 100 picometers across. Atomic Structure Atoms are made of three main subatomic particles: Licensed by Google

: This is the count of protons in the nucleus. For example, Hydrogen has 1 proton, while Gold has 79. An atom is the smallest unit of ordinary

: Particles with no charge, also found in the nucleus. They provide stability and contribute to the atom's mass. Atomic Structure Atoms are made of three main

: Most of an atom's volume is actually empty space. If an atom were expanded to the size of a football stadium, the nucleus would be the size of a marble in the center, and the electrons would be like tiny gnats buzzing around the highest seats. They provide stability and contribute to the atom's mass

: Atoms can lose or gain electrons to become ions (charged particles) or vary their number of neutrons to become isotopes of the same element.