Structure of Atoms
Ever wondered what everything around you is made of? At the most basic level, it's atoms! Atoms consist of three main particles: protons (positive charge), neutrons (no charge), and electrons (negative charge).
Protons and neutrons live in the nucleus at the center, while electrons orbit in shells around it. The mass number (A) tells you the total number of protons and neutrons, while the atomic number (Z) counts just the protons. In a neutral atom, the number of electrons equals the number of protons.
Isotopes are atoms of the same element (same number of protons) but with different numbers of neutrons. Some isotopes are unstable and undergo radioactive decay, where their nuclei spontaneously disintegrate by emitting alpha particles, beta particles, or gamma radiation.
💡 Radioactive decay is a completely random process and doesn't depend on external factors like temperature—only on the nature of the radioactive isotope itself!
