Terms Related to the Nucleus of an Atom
- Nucleons: Protons and neutrons which are present in the nuclei of atoms are collectively known as nucleons.
- Atomic Number: The number of protons in the nucleus is called the atomic number of the element. It is denoted by Z.
- Mass Number: The total number of protons and neutrons (collectively known as nucleons) present in a nucleus is called the mass number of the element. It is denoted by A.
- Nuclear Mass: The total mass of the protons and neutrons present in a nucleus is called nuclear mass.
Note: Few important points to remember regarding the nucleus are:
- Number of protons in an atom = Number of electrons in an atom = Z
- Number of nucleons in an atom = A
- Number of neutrons in an atom N = A – Z
- A proton has a positive charge Qp= 1.6×10-19 C and mass mp = 1.6726×10-27kg
- A neutron has no charge and its mass mn = 1.6749×10-27kg
- No electrons are present inside the nucleus.
Structure of Nucleus
The nucleus of an atom consists of two types of particles, positively charged particles called protons and neutrally charged particles called neutrons. Protons + Neutrons in an atom represent the nucleus of an atom. The nucleus of an atom is represented by ZXA, where X is the nucleus of an atom, Z is the atomic number and A is the mass number.
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