Science
What is The proton?
A proton is a positively charged particle found in the nucleus of every atom. The number of protons defines what element an atom is — for example, every hydrogen atom has one proton, and every carbon atom has six.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains the proton.
Key things to understand
- 1It's a positively charged particle in the atomic nucleus.
- 2The number of protons defines the element.
- 3It's far heavier than an electron.
- 4Protons and neutrons make up the nucleus.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a proton?
- A positively charged particle in an atom's nucleus; the number of protons determines the element.
- What's the difference between a proton and an electron?
- Protons are positive and sit in the nucleus; electrons are negative and orbit around it.
- Why does proton number matter?
- It defines the element — change the proton count and you change which element the atom is.