Which is true about subatomic particles? Protons, neutrons, and electrons are the only subatomic particles. Subatomic particles are larger than atoms. All subatomic particles must have electrical charge. Subatomic particles are smaller than atoms.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is: Subatomic particles are smaller than atoms.
Explanation:
Subatomic particles refer to the particles that are smaller than atoms and make up the structure of atoms. These particles include protons, neutrons, and electrons. Here’s a breakdown of why this statement is correct and the others are false:
- Protons, neutrons, and electrons are the only subatomic particles:
This is not entirely true. While protons, neutrons, and electrons are the primary subatomic particles that make up atoms, there are also other subatomic particles such as quarks (which make up protons and neutrons) and gluons (which mediate the strong nuclear force that binds quarks together). - Subatomic particles are larger than atoms:
This statement is incorrect. Subatomic particles are, by definition, smaller than atoms. For instance, the diameter of an atom is on the order of 10^-10 meters, whereas subatomic particles like electrons have sizes much smaller than atoms. The protons and neutrons are found in the nucleus of the atom and are also far smaller than the atom as a whole, although they are slightly larger than electrons. - All subatomic particles must have electrical charge:
This is false. Neutrons, for example, do not have an electrical charge—they are electrically neutral. Protons carry a positive charge, and electrons carry a negative charge, but not all subatomic particles need to have an electrical charge. - Subatomic particles are smaller than atoms:
This statement is true. Subatomic particles like protons, neutrons, and electrons are much smaller than atoms. The size of an atom is primarily determined by the space occupied by the electrons’ probability cloud, but the particles inside the atom (the protons and neutrons in the nucleus) are much smaller in size.
Thus, the correct and most accurate statement is that subatomic particles are smaller than atoms.
