Ionization is the process by which ions are formedby gain or loss of an electron from an atom or molecule. If an atom or molecule gains an electron, it becomes negatively charged (an anion), and if it loses an electron, it becomes positively charged (a cation). Energy may be lost or...
Determining the charge of an atom is easy in most cases but not all. Atoms are held together by the electromagnetic forces between the protons in the nucleus and the electrons surrounding it, and this means that most of the time there isn’t actually much to work out. But when elements l...
The positively charged protons and neutrons (which have no charge) make up the atom’s nucleus, or center, while the negatively charged electrons orbit around the nucleus. To accurately diagram an atom you must know how many protons, neutrons and electrons the atom contains, in addition to ...
In the dark, the photoconductive layer on the drum acts as an insulator, resisting the flow of electrons from one atom to another. But when the layer is hit by light, the energy of the photons liberates electrons and allows current to pass through! These newly freed electrons are what ...
Now that the parts of the atom were known, how were they arranged to make an atom? Rutherford's gold foil experiment indicated that the nucleus was in the center of the atom and that the atom was mostly empty space. So, he envisioned the atom as the positively charged nucleus in the ...
Each one has a tiny, positively charged nucleus, balanced by a cloud of negatively charged electrons. These determine the atom’s properties. Split an atomic nucleus open and you’ll find subatomic particles called protons and neutrons. The simplest atom, hydrogen, has just one proton and no ...
When photons strike a PV cell, they may be reflected or absorbed, or they may pass right through. Only the absorbed photons generate electricity. When this happens, the energy of the photon is transferred to an electron in an atom of the cell (which is actually asemiconductor). ...
A simplistic model of an atom, known as the Rutherford–Bohr model, Bohr model or Bohr diagram has a central nucleus made up of particles called protons and neutrons. The nucleus is surrounded by orbitals containing electrons. In some materials such as metals, electrons are bound loosely to ...
However, we can change the atom’s charge, by causing it to gain or lose electrons. If an atom gains electrons, it becomes negatively charged, and opposite, it the atom loses electrons, it becomes positively charged. Charged atom is called positive or negative ion. ...
protons is known as nuclear fission. In nuclear fission, a device is used to accelerate neutrons toward the nucleus of an atom. The collision of the neutrons with the atom causes the atom’s nucleus to break apart into fragments. Each fragment is roughly half the mass of the original atom...