Atoms

Atoms are the fundamental building blocks of matter, consisting of a nucleus composed of protons and neutrons, surrounded by electrons that occupy specific energy levels.

• Atomic Number: The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom, which uniquely identifies an element and determines its position in the periodic table.

• Mass Number: The total number of protons and neutrons in an atom's nucleus, which indicates the overall mass of the atom and is used in identifying different isotopes of an element.

• Isotopes: Variants of a particular chemical element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons, resulting in differing mass numbers, which can affect the stability and radioactive properties of the atom.

• Electron: Negatively charged particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom, playing a crucial role in chemical bonding and electrical conductivity, with their arrangement influencing the chemical properties of the element.