Week 2 - Lesson 1.5 Protons

Question 1

This glowing sphere represents the sun, which has a diameter of 1.4 × 109 meters. The ___ has a special relationship
to another object that is only about 1.7 × 10−17 meters in diameter—the subatomic particle called the ____. How
is the gigantic sun related to the extremely tiny proton? Read on to find out.

Answer 1

Sun
Proton

Question 2

What Is a Proton?

Answer 2

A proton is one of three main particles that make up the atom. The other two particles are the neutron and electron.
Protons are found in the nucleus of the atom. This is a tiny, dense region at the center of the atom. Protons have
a positive electrical charge of one (+1) and a mass of 1 atomic mass unit (amu), which is about 1.67 × 10−27
kilograms. Together with neutrons, they make up virtually all of the mass of an atom

Question 3

Q: How do you think the sun is related to protons?

Answer 3

A: The sun’s tremendous energy is the result of proton interactions. In the sun, as well as in other stars, protons from
hydrogen atoms combine, or fuse, to form nuclei of helium atoms. This fusion reaction releases a huge amount of
energy and takes place in nature only at the extremely high temperatures of stars such as the sun.

Question 4

All protons are identical. For example, hydrogen protons are exactly the same as protons of helium and all other
elements, or pure substances. However, atoms of different elements have different numbers of protons. In fact,
atoms of any given element have a unique number of protons that is different from the numbers of protons of all
other elements. For example, a hydrogen atom has just one proton, whereas a helium atom has two protons. The
number of protons in an atom determines the electrical charge of the nucleus. The nucleus also contains neutrons,
but they are neutral in charge. The one proton in a hydrogen nucleus, for example, gives it a charge of +1, and the
two protons in a helium nucleus give it a charge of +2.

Answer 4

Identical Protons, Different Elements

Question 5

What Do Protons Contain?

Answer 5

Protons are made of fundamental particles called quarks and gluons. As you can see in the Figure 1.13, a proton
contains three quarks (colored circles) and three streams of gluons (wavy white lines). Two of the quarks are
called up quarks (u), and the third quark is called a down quark (d). The gluons carry the strong nuclear force
between quarks, binding them together. This force is needed to overcome the electric force of repulsion between
positive protons. Although protons were discovered almost 100 years ago, the quarks and gluons inside them were
discovered much more recently. Scientists are still learning more about these fundamental particles.

Question 6

A proton one of three main particles that make up the atom. It is found in the nucleus. It has an electrical
charge of one +1 and a mass of 1 atomic mass unit (amu).

Answer 6

-read

Question 7

Atoms of any given element have a unique number of ___ that is different from the numbers of ___ of
all other elements.

Answer 7

Proton

Question 8

•this consist of fundamental particles called quarks and gluons. Gluons carry the strong nuclear force
between quarks, binding them together.

Answer 8

Proton

Question 9

This is one of three main particles that make up the atom. The other two particles are the neutron and electron.
This are found in the nucleus of the atom. This is a tiny, dense region at the center of the atom. This have
a positive electrical charge of one (+1) and a mass of 1 atomic mass unit (amu), which is about 1.67 × 10−27
kilograms. Together with neutrons, they make up virtually all of the mass of an atom

Answer 9

Protom