proton
Sign in to saveA proton is a stable subatomic particle, symbol , H+, or 1H+ with a positive electric charge of +1 e (elementary charge). Its mass is slightly less than the mass of a neutron and approximately times the mass of an electron (the proton-to-electron mass ratio). Protons and neutrons, each with a mass of approximately one dalton, are jointly referred to as nucleons (particles present in atomic nuclei).
AI overview
A proton is a tiny, positively charged particle that is one of the basic building blocks of atoms, found in the nucleus alongside neutrons. Protons matter because their number determines what chemical element an atom is, and they are essential to the structure and behavior of all matter.
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Key facts
- Particle.classification
- Baryon
- Particle.name
- Proton
- Particle.image
- Quark structure proton.svg
- Particle.caption
- The valence quark content of a proton. The color assignment of individual quarks is arbitrary, but all three colors must be present. Forces between quarks are mediated by gluons.
- Particle.composition
- 2 up quarks (u), 1 down quark (d)
- Particle.statistics
- Fermionic
- Particle.group
- Hadron
- Particle.interaction
- Gravity, electromagnetic, weak, strong
- Particle.antiparticle
- Antiproton
- Particle.theorized
- William Prout (1815)
- Particle.discovered
- Observed as H+ by Eugen Goldstein (1886). Identified in other nuclei (and named) by Ernest Rutherford (1917–1920).
Article
19 sectionsContents
- Description
- History
- Occurrence
- Stability
- Quarks and the mass of a proton
- Charge radius
- Pressure inside the proton
- Charge radius in solvated proton, hydronium
- Interaction of free protons with ordinary matter
- Proton in chemistry
- Atomic number
- Hydrogen ion
- Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)
- Human exposure
- Antiproton
- See also
- References
- Further reading
- External links
A proton is a stable subatomic particle, symbol , H+, or 1H+ with a positive electric charge of +1 e (elementary charge). Its mass is slightly less than the mass of a neutron and approximately times the mass of an electron (the proton-to-electron mass ratio). Protons and neutrons, each with a mass of approximately one dalton, are jointly referred to as nucleons (particles present in atomic nuclei).
One or more protons are present in the nucleus of every atom. They provide the attractive electrostatic central force which binds the atomic electrons. The number of protons in the nucleus is the defining property of an element, and is referred to as the atomic number (represented by the symbol Z). Since each element is identified by the number of protons in its nucleus, each element has its own atomic number, which determines the number of atomic electrons and consequently the identity and chemical characteristics of the element.