Protons are subatomic particles that are part of the nucleus of the atom.
Proton comes from a Greek word that means "first." It is a subatomic particle with a positive electrical charge that, together with neutrons , forms the nucleus of atoms . The atomic number of the proton determines the chemical properties of said atom.
We have to make it clear that the proton was discovered in the early part of the 20th century by the scientist Ernest Rutherford. Specifically, in 1918 he announced the existence of that element . However, other figures who addressed this topic are JJ Thompson or Eugene Goldstein.
In the field of physics and chemistry , the proton is the hydrogen cation. In this sense, acids are proton emitters and bases are proton acceptors. In the case of chemistry, it can also be used as the atomic number of protons that an atom in question has.
Proton composition
Protons are classified into the category of baryons (subatomic particles made up of three quarks). In the specific case of protons, they are composed of two up quarks and one down quark. Its antimatter equivalent is the antiproton or negative proton , with the same magnitude of charge but opposite sign.
The action of the electromagnetic force causes the charge of the proton to be opposite and equal (in absolute value) to the charge of the electron.
Protons have a positive electrical charge.
Differences with electrons
Normally we usually talk about protons and electrons at the same time, which have the characteristic that they are opposites.
Thus, first of all, it should be emphasized that protons have a series of characteristics that define them and differentiate them from others. Specifically, these are: they have a positive charge, they can be found in the nucleus of the atom in question and the mass number is the result of adding the number of protons and the number of neutrons.
Secondly, as we have mentioned previously, electrons are presented as opposite to protons and are defined by these hallmarks: they do not have what would be a fixed position, they have a negative charge, they have a mass so small that it is basically insignificant. and that makes them add to the mass...To all this we should add the fact that they have the particularity that they are found in the d, f, s and p orbitals.
Spectroscopy, accelerators and protons
The properties of protons allow nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy , a technique that involves applying a magnetic field to a substance to detect the shell around the protons in the nucleus. From this information, the structure of the molecules studied can be reconstructed.
This type of technique is possible since the proton has a spin (intrinsic angular momentum) and, therefore, a magnetic moment. The proton also complies with the exclusion principle.
Nuclear physics, for its part, uses protons in accelerators to attack nuclei and produce fundamental particles.