Question

How will you determine the charge and the mass of a proton?

Answer 1

Subatomic Particles:

1. Atoms consist of three types of particles, the neutron, and the proton, both housed inside a nucleus, and electrons, orbiting the nucleus.
2. The proton and the electron have positive and negative charges, respectively, while the neutron is neutral.
3. All three particles have mass.

Determination of charge and mass of a proton:

1. Proton is the only constituent of the nucleus of a hydrogen atom.
2. Therefore, the mass of the hydrogen atom is equal to the mass of proton.
3. Hence, the relative mass of the proton is $1\mathrm{u}$, and its absolute mass is $1.6\times {10}^{-24}\mathrm{g}$.
4. The charge on proton is equal to and opposite to the electron charge.
5. Hence, the absolute charge of a proton is $1.6\times {10}^{-19}\mathrm{C}$.