The charge of a proton is the basic value of the physics of elementary particles

If you are familiar with the structure of an atom, you probably know that the atom of any element consists of three kinds of elementary particles: protons, electrons, neutrons. Protons in combination with neutrons form the atomic nucleus of a chemical element. Since the charge of the proton is positive, the atomic nucleus is always positively charged. The electric charge of the atomic nucleus is compensated by the surrounding cloud of other elementary particles. A negatively charged electron is that component of the atom that stabilizes the charge of the proton. Depending on how many electrons surround the atomic nucleus, the element can be either electrically neutral (if the number of protons and electrons in the atom is equal), or have a positive or negative charge (in the case of a lack or excess of electrons, respectively). The atom of an element carrying a certain charge is called an ion.

It is important to remember that the number of protons determines the properties of the elements and their position in the periodic table. D. I. Mendeleyev. The neutrons contained in the atomic nucleus do not have a charge. Because the masses of the neutron and proton are correlated and practically equal to each other, and the electron mass is negligibly small in comparison with them (1836 times less than the proton mass), the number of neutrons in the nucleus of the atom plays a very important role, namely: determines the stability System and decay rate of radioactive nuclei. The isotope (variety) of the element is determined by the neutron content.

However, because of the inconsistency of the masses of charged particles, protons and electrons have different specific charges (this value is determined by the ratio of the charge of an elementary particle to its mass). As a result, the specific charge of the proton is 9.578756 (27) · 107 cells / kg vs. -1.758820088 (39) · 1011 for the electron. Because of the high value of the specific charge, free protons can not exist in liquid media: they are amenable to hydration.

The mass and charge of the proton are specific values that could be established at the beginning of the last century. Who of the scientists did this - one of the greatest - the discovery of the twentieth century? Back in 1913, Rutherford, basing himself on the fact that the masses of all known chemical elements more than the mass of the hydrogen atom an integer number of times, suggested that the nucleus of the hydrogen atom enters the nucleus of the atom of any element. Somewhat later Rutherford conducted an experiment in which he studied the interaction of the nuclei of the nitrogen atom with alpha particles. As a result of the experiment, a particle emerged from the nucleus of the atom, which Rutherford called the "proton" (from the Greek word "protos" - the first) and suggested that it is the nucleus of the hydrogen atom. The assumption was proved experimentally in the course of carrying out this scientific experiment in the Wilson chamber.

By the same Rutherford in 1920, a hypothesis was expressed about the existence in the atomic nucleus of a particle whose mass is equal to the mass of the proton, but which does not carry any electric charge. However, Rutherford himself was unable to detect this particle. But in 1932, his student Chadwick experimentally proved the existence in the atomic nucleus of a neutron-particle, as predicted by Rutherford, approximately equal in mass to the proton. Detecting neutrons was more difficult, since they do not have an electric charge and, accordingly, do not enter into interactions with other nuclei. The lack of charge explains this property of neutrons as a very high penetrating power.

Protons and neutrons are bound in the atomic nucleus by a very strong interaction. Now physicists agree on the idea that these two elementary nuclear particles are very similar to each other. So, they have equal backs, and nuclear forces act on them in exactly the same way. The only difference is that the charge of the proton is positive, the neutron has no charge at all. But since the electric charge in nuclear interactions does not matter, it can only be regarded as a sort of proton label. If we deprive the proton of an electric charge, then it will lose its individuality.