• Question: what is the difference between a proton and an electron?

    Asked by omgitsoasis to Audra, Fiona, Gavin, Justin, Steve on 14 Mar 2012.
    • Photo: Fiona Hatch

      Fiona Hatch answered on 14 Mar 2012:

      Everything on earth is made up of atoms which are very tiny and packed very close together.

      An atom is made up of three things, electrons, protons and neutrons. In the center of the atom you have the protons and neutrons and this is called the nucleus. The electrons are constantly moving in circles around the nucleus. The neutrons are neutral (meaning that have no charge (=). The protons are positively charged (+). And the electrons are negatively charged (-) .

      To remember this simply think protons, with a big P which means Postive. Neutrons with NEU at the start means neutral (no charge); leaving electrons which you can work out to then be negative.

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