For instance, a plastic spoon has a greater “like” for electrons than cotton. This is because some materials have a greater “like” for electrons and will “steal” electrons from materials with a lesser “like” for electrons. In fact they are freer to move in some substances than others.Įlectrons may travel from one material to another just by contact. However, the swarming electrons are free to move. The nuclei of atoms are locked inside the atom and are not free to travel to other atoms. The next closest nucleus would be a mile away. In other words, the electrons take up almost all of the space of an atom. In fact, if the hive (nucleus) were the size of a basket ball, the bees (representing the electrons) would be swarming around the outside as far as a mile away. However, the bees in reality would be a long way from the hive. The electrons are rapidly moving around outside of the nucleus kind of like a swarm of bees (the hive would be the nucleus). The protons and neutrons are glued together in what is called the nucleus (center part) of the atom. These ions either have more protons than electrons and so have a positive charge or have more electrons than protons and have a negative charge. Atoms with an electric charge are called ions. The negative charge of the electron cancels out the positive charge of the proton giving the atom a zero net (or neutral) charge. Atoms normally have the same number of protons and electrons. Protons have a positive electric charge, and neutrons are neutral which means they have no electric charge. Electrons have a negative electric charge and we usually associate these particles with electricity. They have three components: electrons, protons, and neutrons. Atoms can be thought of as the basic building blocks of everything in the universe. Time: Approximately 45 minutes Background back to the top ↑Įverything is made of particles and these particles have electrical charges – they can be positive, negative, or neutral. These charges attract and repel and can move between objects. Objects can have positive, negative, or neutral electric charges.
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