The Electron - The Smallest Particle of Matter

The smallest particle of matter found in every physical -touchable thing. It has negative electrical charge and is a constituent of all atoms.

Almost all atoms have the same number of electrons and protons, making them electrically neutral. However, the electrons in atoms of different elements are located at various distances from the nucleus, in clouds called orbitals. Each orbital has a specific shape, which is determined by how many electrons are in it. For example, the orbital of a hydrogen atom has just one electron, while that of uranium has 92. Electrons are able to move around the nucleus of an atom because they attract the positively charged protons in the center. As they do, they occupy the atomic orbitals in concentric shells, with the orbitals closest to the nucleus having a more complicated shape than those farther away.

In the quantum world, an electron behaves more like a wave than a particle. This allows it to take on all sorts of shapes, including the familiar orbitals taught in physics and chemistry classes. In fact, the shape of an electron in a particular orbital can be predicted exactly by applying the wave equation to it.

Electrons have an elementary electric charge of -1 and a mass of 9.109 x 10-31 kilograms. They also spin, much like all spinning charges, which creates a magnetic field that affects how electrons are arranged in atoms and how they interact with other particles.