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Question

Question: How can you compare the mass and charge of protons, neutrons and electrons?...

How can you compare the mass and charge of protons, neutrons and electrons?

Explanation

Solution

Hint Protons and electrons are oppositely charged particles which accounts for the stability of atoms.
Neutrons are those species which have great contribution only in the atomic mass of an atom.

Complete step by step solution:
In the question it is asked to compare the mass and charge of protons, neutrons and electrons. So from the lower classes we are continuously hearing about these three species whenever we talk about the structure of an atom.
So first let's brush up those concepts from our memory and discuss the charge and mass of these three species by which it will be easy for us to compare and discuss the parameters like charge and mass of these three species.
We know that the atom is the basic building block for a molecule. It is an elementary unit for the molecules and compounds which is indivisible. And we have to know what all constituents are present in the atom of an element.
In an atom there are three main subatomic particles which are electrons, protons and neutrons.
The three subatomic particles are those particles which account for the stability and atomic mass of the atom.
Now let's discuss the facts related to these subatomic particles:
-Electrons-The electrons are the negatively charged species present in the orbits of the atom which revolves around the nucleus of the atom. The electrons are represented as e {{e}^{-}} . These species have a charge of -1 e or 1.602×1019C -1.602\times {{10}^{-19}}C and the electrons are much smaller particles than the other two subatomic particles and have a mass of 9.1×1031Kg 9.1\times {{10}^{-31}}Kg
-Protons-these are the positively charged species present in the nucleus of the atom and these species account for the atomic mass of the atom and they are represented as p+ {{p}^{+}} . They have a charge of +1e or 1.602×1019C -1.602\times {{10}^{-19}}C and they have a mass of 1.672×1027Kg 1.672\times {{10}^{-27}}Kg
-Neutrons- these are the neutral species which do not have any charge and have a mass which is almost equal to that of protons which is 1.674×1027Kg 1.674\times {{10}^{-27}}Kg . The neutrons are present in the nucleus of the atom and the neutrons only account for the atomic weight of the atom.
Hence if we compare the data we get to know that the mass of electrons is lighter than the mass of protons and electrons by approximately 11800 \dfrac{1}{1800} times the mass.
And if we compare the charge the protons are positively charged, electrons are negatively charged and neutrons do not possess any charge they are neutral in nature.

Note: If the number of protons and electrons are given in the question then we could find the atomic number of element, since atomic number is equal to the number of protons or number of electrons. And the number of protons and electrons will be equal in an atom to maintain the neutrality of the atom.
If the number of neutrons and protons are given then its sum gives the atomic mass of the element. The protons and neutrons are called nucleons since they are the constituents in the nucleus of the atom.