Inside the atom

The structure of the atom

Atoms are so small that an electron microscope is needed to see images of them. Due to Rutherford's alpha-scattering investivagtions we no that all atoms contain a positivey charged nucleus consisting of protons and neutrons, and electrons that surround the nucleus.

The word nucleon is used for a proton or neutron in the nucleus.

Each electron has a negative charge. Because the nucleus is positively charged, the electrons aer held in the atom by the electrostatic forces of attraction between them and the nucleus. Rutherford's investigations showed that the nucleus contains most of the mass of the atom and its diameter is of the order of 0.00001 times the diameter of a typical atom.

• The electron has a…