Neutron

Neutron The neutron is a subatomic hadron particle which has the symbol n or n0, no net electric charge and a mass slightly larger than that of a proton. With the exception of hydrogen-1, nuclei of atoms consist of protons and neutrons, which are therefore collectively referred to as nucleons. The number of protons in a nucleus is the atomic number and defines the type of element the atom forms. Neutrons are necessary within an atomic nucleus as they bind with protons via the nuclear force; protons are unable to bind with each other (see diproton)...

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Proton

Proton The proton is a subatomic particle with the symbol p or p+ and a positive electric charge of 1 elementary charge. One or more protons are present in the nucleus of each atom. The number of protons in each atom is its atomic number. The name proton was given to the hydrogen nucleus by Ernest Rutherford in 1920, because in previous years he had discovered that the hydrogen nucleus (known to be the lightest nucleus) could be extracted from the...

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The man who ‘invented’ the electron (Invention of electrone)

The man who ‘invented’ the electron (Invention of electrone) You could say that the electron, one of nature’s fundamental particles, was invented by the Irish physicist George Johnstone Stoney (1826-1911). Stoney, born at Oakley Park, Clareen, was the first science professor at the then new university of Queen’s College Galway (now NUI Galway). A great champion of the metric system, Stoney believed science would benefit from a wise choice of standard...

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Why Study Chemistry?

Why Study Chemistry?        Have you ever wondered why leaves turn colors in the fall and how a battery generates electricity?  Chemistry supplies answers to these questions and countless others like them.  One of the joys of learning chemistry is seeing how chemical principles operate in all aspects of our lives, from everyday activities to far-reaching matters. Chemistry is an exciting intellectual...

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Chemistry in daily life.

Chemistry in daily life. Chemical reactions are the basis of life on earth. As human beings, we are little more than the naturally abundant elements of which we are composed and the reactions between the compounds that they form. After all, how could life exist without water? Oxygen transport in a body the size of the human body would be impossible without the aid of a complex like hemoglobin. Besides being the basis of many of life's intangibles,...

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Chemistry Is Everywhere

Chemistry Is Everywhere Everything you hear, see, smell, taste, and touch involves chemistry and chemicals (matter). And hearing, seeing, tasting, and touching all involve intricate series of chemical reactions and interactions in you body. With such an enormous range of topics, it is essential to know about chemistry at some level in order to understand the world around us. In more formal terms chemistry is the study of matter and the...

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What is chemistry?

What is chemistry?     Any freshman text will define chemistry as the science of matter and its changes. That's a safe but perhaps overly terse definition, considering that matter is anything with mass that occupies space.     Webster's Dictionary says the following:         chem·is·try n., pl. -tries. 1. the science that systematically studies the composition, properties, and activity...

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