Final answer:
Electrons have an extremely small mass compared to protons and neutrons. Protons have a positive electrical charge and a mass of 1 atomic mass unit (amu), while neutrons have no charge but have a similar mass to protons. Electrons have a negligible mass and contribute virtually nothing to the total mass of an atom.
Step-by-step explanation:
Even though electrons, protons, and neutrons are all types of subatomic particles, they are not all the same size. When you compare the masses of electrons, protons, and neutrons, what you find is that electrons have an extremely small mass, compared to either protons or neutrons.
On the other hand, the masses of protons and neutrons are fairly similar, although technically, the mass of a neutron is slightly larger than the mass of a proton.
Protons are found in the nucleus of the atom. They have a positive electrical charge of one (+1) and a mass of 1 atomic mass unit (amu), which is about 1.67 × 10-27 kilograms. Together with neutrons, they make up virtually all of the mass of an atom.
Electrons, on the other hand, are extremely small. The mass of an electron is only about 1/2000th the mass of a proton or neutron, so electrons contribute virtually nothing to the total mass of an atom. All atoms have the same number of electrons as protons, so the positive and negative charges "cancel out", making atoms electrically neutral.