Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to CuriousKidsUS@theconversation.com. How do atoms form? – Joshua, age 7, Shoreview, ...

Protons are tiny particles just a femtometer across, but without them, atoms wouldn't exist. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Atoms are the fundamental components of matter, made up of three subatomic particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons. The structure of atoms determines the properties and behavior of different ...

An element's atomic number defines it. An element with 17 protons will always be chlorine. However an element's mass numbers can vary, which means that it can have different numbers of neutrons. So ...

Scientists have long wondered whether there is a limit to the number of protons and neutrons that can be clustered together to form the nucleus of an atom. A new study comes closer than ever to ...

This clip shows how carbon is made up from sub-atomic particles. Electron shells are mentioned. Two extra neutrons are added to make an unstable isotope which explodes at the end. This clip could then ...

This article was updated June 28 at 4:54 p.m. ET. Scientists have long wondered whether there is a limit to the number of protons and neutrons that can be clustered together to form the nucleus of an ...