What is an electron?

What is an electron?

• A. A subatomic particle with a positive charge
• B. The center of an atom
• C. A subatomic particle that has a negative charge
• D. An abbreviation for a chemical element

Answer: (C)

Electrons are the tiny negatively charged subatomic particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom. They have a very small mass compared with the protons and neutrons in the nucleus, and their negative charge is what drives chemical bonding and electrical interactions. This description fits best because it identifies the particle as subatomic and specifies its negative charge. The other statements refer to a proton (positive charge), the center of the atom (the nucleus), or an abbreviation for a chemical element, none of which define an electron.

Electrons are the tiny negatively charged subatomic particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom. They have a very small mass compared with the protons and neutrons in the nucleus, and their negative charge is what drives chemical bonding and electrical interactions. This description fits best because it identifies the particle as subatomic and specifies its negative charge. The other statements refer to a proton (positive charge), the center of the atom (the nucleus), or an abbreviation for a chemical element, none of which define an electron.