Home >> Science & Nature >> Science

How to Count Particles From the Smallest to the Largest

A basic lesson in how particles make up atoms and impact chemical formulas is to study the range of particles. For an activity, begin with sorting particles from smallest to largest. Organizing the levels of particles is important for understanding how the particle count impacts where an atom, such as hydrogen, falls on the Period Table of Elements. Such an activity also allows you to learn about the consistency of atoms, in terms of protons and neutrons that are found in an atom's nucleus.

Things You'll Need

Periodic Table of Elements

Instructions

- 1
  Calculate the mass number of each atom in the Periodic Table of Elements. To derive the mass number, add the total number of protons to the total number of neutrons for each atom.
- 2
  Find out the number of protons in an atom by looking at the atomic number. The atomic number is the number of protons in the atom and is located in the top left corner of the element's box. So, if you see the number 32 at the top left corner of the box, it means the atom has 32 protons in its nucleus.
- 3
  Round the atomic weight of the element to the nearest whole number. This will help you come to the total number of particles. The atomic weight is located at the bottom of the element box, and may contain a decimal point. For example, if the atomic weight is 56.8, round it up to 57 to get the mass number.
- 4
  Subtract the atomic weight, or mass number, from the number of protons. The end result gives you the number of neutrons that are present in the atom's nucleus. Double-check the calculations by adding the difference to the number of protons and seeing if you get the mass number.
- 5
  Organize the elements according to the mass number, which is representative of the total number of particles found in the atom. Place the element with the lowest mass number at the bottom and the element with the highest mass number at the top.

Science