Question

Why do electrons not account for the overall mass of an atom?

O Electrons are not essential.
O Electrons are much smaller and their mass is negligible
O They can be removed or shared.
They are in the outer most shell

Answer 1

Electrons have a negligible mass compared to protons and neutrons in an atom.

Step-by-step explanation:

Electrons do account for part of the overall mass of an atom, but their mass is considered negligible compared to the mass of protons and neutrons. Electrons are much smaller in size and their mass is approximately 1/1836th the mass of a proton or neutron. This means that the mass contributed by electrons is very small in comparison and can be ignored when calculating the overall mass of an atom.

Learn more about Mass of electrons in an atom