A proton is a tiny particle that is found in the nucleus of an atom.

Everything that you

can touch, hold or feel is made of atoms, these are the smallest building blocks of
solids, liquids and gases. There are many different types of atoms, and each type forms
a different element.

The number of protons in an atom determines what type of element the atom is. The
periodic table groups atoms according to how many protons they have. The number of
protons in the nucleus of an atom is referred to as the atomic number. Atoms are made
up of protons and neutrons in the nucleus, which is orbited by electrons.

Protons are similar in weight to neutrons, which are also part of the structure of an
atom. Unlike neutrons which have a neutral charge, protons are positively charged.
Most of the mass of an atom is in the proton, in fact protons are almost two thousand
times heavier than electrons.

What are Protons made of?

Protons are made of quarks. There are two types of quarks that can be found naturally
inside normal matter. These are called up quarks and down quarks. Protons are
believed to be made of 3 quarks, two up quarks and one down quark.

Who discovered Protons?

Protons were discovered by a physicist called Ernest Rutherford in 1920. Rutherford is
known today as the father of nuclear physics, as he not only discovered that protons
exist, but he was also the one who first proved that atoms have a nucleus. He also
proved that atoms were mostly made up of empty space.

History of Protons
As early as 1815, a scientist called William Prout proposed the idea that all atoms are
made of hydrogen atoms, which he called 'protyles'. In 1886, another scientist
called Eugen Goldstein proved that there were positively-charged particles being
produced from certain gases. Then, in 1897, yet another scientist called Joseph John
Thompson discovered electrons, the negatively charged particles that make up an
atom.

Ernest Rutherford did many experiments related to atoms between 1919 and 1925, and
he was able to discover that hydrogen was the simplest and lightest element. As he was
influenced by Prout's 'protyles' idea, Rutherford originally suggested that hydrogen, as
the simplest and lightest element, contained only one of these particles. He named this
particle the 'proton' after the Greek word for 'first'.

Over time, research conducted by Rutherford and other scientists slowly improved our
knowledge of the structure of atoms. In 1927, a scientist called James Chadwick proved
the existence of neutrons, or particles with neutral charge that also make up the nucleus
of an atom alongside protons.

How big are Protons?

Because atoms are tiny, and protons make up just a small part of an atom, protons are
extremely small. In fact, if an atom was scaled up to be the size of a basketball stadium,
a proton would only be the size of a small marble. Despite the fact that atoms make up
every solid thing we can see and touch, Rutherford proved that atoms are actually
mostly empty space. Protons are a very important aspect of the structure of an
 atom's nucleus, and the number of protons indicates what element the atom is.
However, protons only make up a very small amount of the atom itself.

Interesting Facts About Protons

 Thunderstorms can produce protons that are filled with energy

 Protons are used for experiments, such as the research related to the Large
Hadron Collider

 The three quarks that make up a proton are always moving, so a proton isn't a
solid object, it is an area in which the quarks move

 In any atoms of the same element, the number of protons is always the same

 The protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom are held together by a
strong nuclear force

Proton Resources Are Available to Download

If you are teaching a lesson about protons, there is a diverse variety of resources that
you can choose from to download and include in your lesson plan. For example,
this KS3 Atoms, Elements, Compounds and Mixtures Revision Pack is a fantastic
resource to use for teaching about protons.

You can also download this set of History of the Atom Information Posters. These
display resources contain lovely hand-drawn illustrations and diagrams to make them as
eye-catching and engaging as possible. If you are covering the topic of protons in your
lesson, these display posters make a wonderful educational resource that you can use
to decorate your classroom.

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