Question

How much smaller (in diameter) is atomic nucleus than the atom itself?

Answer 1

The size of an atomic nucleus is much smaller than the size of the entire atom. The nucleus is the central part of an atom, composed of protons and neutrons, and it contains nearly all of the atom's mass. The electrons, which are much smaller in mass, orbit the nucleus in electron shells.

Step-by-step explanation:

Typically, the diameter of an atomic nucleus is on the order of femtometers (1 femtometer = 1 x 10^-15 meters), while the diameter of the entire atom is on the order of angstroms (1 angstrom = 1 x 10^-10 meters). This size difference is substantial, with the nucleus being much smaller compared to the overall size of the atom. The electrons occupy a relatively large volume around the nucleus due to their cloud-like nature in electron orbitals.

Answer 2

The diameter of the atomic nucleus is roughly 10-15 m, about 100,000 times smaller than the atom itself, which has a diameter on the order of 10-10 m.

Step-by-step explanation:

The atomic nucleus is significantly smaller in diameter compared to the atom itself. The diameter of an atom is on the order of 10-10 m, while the diameter of a nucleus is about 10-15 m. This indicates that the nucleus is approximately 100,000 times smaller than the atom. To visualize this, if the nucleus were the size of a marble, the atom would be about the size of a soccer field. Similarly, if we consider that the nucleus is the size of a blueberry, the atom would be comparable to the size of a football stadium.