Atomic structure

Atoms consist of electrons surrounding a nucleus that contains protons and neutrons.

Neutrons are neutral, but protons and electrons are electrically charged. Protons have a relative charge of +1, while electrons have a relative charge of -1.

The number of protons in an atom is called its atomic number. In the periodic table atoms are arranged in atomic number order.

Electrons are arranged in energy levels or shells, and different energy levels can hold different numbers of electrons. The electronic structure of an atom is a description of how the electrons are arranged, which can be shown in a diagram or by numbers. There is a link between the position of an element in the…