What makes up most of the mass of a Calcium atom?

1 Answer
anor277
Feb 13, 2017

#"Nuclear protons, and neutrons............"#

Explanation:

The standard calcium isotope is #""^(40)Ca#. Because it is a calcium nucleus, WE KNOW that the nucleus contains 20 protons, 20 massive, positively-charged nuclear particles. The calcium nucleus also contains approx. 20 neutrons, 20 massive, neutrally-charged nuclear particles.

Because the calcium atom is neutral, also associated with the atom are 20 electrons, 20 negatively charged particles, of negligible mass, that are conceived to whizz about the massive nuclear core.

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