A positively charged particle that is present in the nucleus of every atom is:

Question

A positively charged particle that is present in the nucleus of every atom is:

1. A. Electron
2. B. Neutron
3. C. Proton (Correct answer)
4. D. None of the above

Correct Answer

Option C — Proton

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is Proton.

Key Points

• The proton is the positively charged particle in the nucleus of every atom.
• Neutrons share the nucleus but carry no charge, and electrons are negatively charged and orbit outside it.
• The number of protons is the atomic number, which fixes the element's identity.

Additional Information

• Protons and neutrons together give the mass number; atoms of the same element with differing neutron counts are isotopes.
• The proton was discovered by Ernest Rutherford, the neutron by James Chadwick, and the electron by J.J. Thomson.
• Rutherford's gold foil experiment revealed the small, dense, positively charged nucleus at the atom's centre.