Nucleus
What is Nucleus?
The atomic nucleus is the small, dense core at the centre of an atom, containing protons and neutrons (collectively nucleons). The nucleus was discovered by Ernest Rutherford in 1911 from his gold foil experiment. Despite containing almost all the atom's mass, the nucleus occupies only about 10⁻¹⁵ m in diameter, compared to the atom's radius of ~10⁻¹⁰ m. Protons give the nucleus its positive charge; neutrons add mass without charge.
Key Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
The atomic nucleus is the small, dense core at the centre of an atom, containing protons and neutrons (collectively nucleons). The nucleus was discovered by Ernest Rutherford in 1911 from his gold foil experiment. Despite containing almost all the atom's mass, the nucleus occupies only about 10⁻¹⁵ m in diameter, compared to the atom's radius of ~10⁻¹⁰ m. Protons give the nucleus its positive charge; neutrons add mass without charge.