Why do atoms have different weights?

Why do atoms have different weights?

This number of protons is called the atomic number. The mass of the atom, its atomic mass, depends upon both the number of protons and upon the number of neutrons present in the nucleus (remember that the mass of an electron is so small that it is simply ignored for the purpose of establishing the atomic mass).

What makes a atom heavier?

Atomic particles Protons and neutrons are heavier than electrons and reside in the nucleus at the center of the atom. Electrons are extremely lightweight and exist in a cloud orbiting the nucleus. Adding a proton to an atom makes a new element, while adding a neutron makes an isotope, or heavier version, of that atom.

Which atom weighs the most and why?

Heaviest Element in Terms of Atomic Weight The heaviest element in terms of heaviest per a given number of atoms is the element with the highest atomic weight. This is the element with the largest number of protons, which is presently element 118, oganesson or ununoctium.

Why do neutrons keep an atom stable?

Thus, neutrons stick to the nucleus because of the strong interaction, and they stay there indefinitely because the nucleus structure stabilizes them, preventing them from decaying.

Which of the following is responsible for most of the mass of an atom?

Mass: The majority of an atoms’ mass comes from the protons and neutrons that make up its nucleus.

How do atoms become cations and anions?

Ions are charged substances that have formed through the gain or loss of electrons. Cations form from the loss of electrons and have a positive charge while anions form through the gain of electrons and have a negative charge.

Why are some atoms of the same element heavier?

Atoms of the same element have the same number of protons, but different isotopes have different numbers of neutrons. Different isotopes of the same element have different masses because they have a different number of neutrons.

What affects atom stability?

The two main factors that determine nuclear stability are the neutron/proton ratio and the total number of nucleons in the nucleus.