A particle which is a constituent of an atom hence smaller than the atom is called subatomic particle. An atom is formed from the nucleus and the extranuclear part. These contain three types of subatomic particles.

The nucleus contains two types of subatomic particles together called nucleons. Protons and neutrons are the two types of nucleons or subatomic particles and electrons are subatomic particles in the extra nuclear part.

1. Proton (p): Proton is a positively charged subatomic particle in the atomic nucleus. The positive charge on the nucleus is due to the proton in it. A proton is represented by the symbol ‘p’. Each proton carries a positive charge of +1e. (1e = 1.6 × 10^-19 coulomb). When total positive charge on the nucleus is expressed in the unit ‘e’, its magnitude is equal to the number of proton in the nucleus. The mass of one proton is approximately lu (1 Dalton).

(1u = 1.66 × 10^-27g) (The mass of one hydrogen atom is also approximately lu.)

2. Neutron (n): Neutron is an electrically neutral subatomic particle and is denoted by the symbol ‘n’. The number of neutron in the nucleus is denoted by the symbol ‘N’ Atomic nuclei of all the elements except hydrogen with atomic mass lu, contain neutrons. The mass of a neutron is approximately lu, which is almost equal to that of a proton.

3. Electron (e ): Electron is a negatively charged subatomic particle and is denoted by the symbol ‘e-’. Each electron carries one unit of negative charge (-1e). Mass of an electron is 1800 times less than that of a hydrogen atom. Therefore the mass of an electron can be treated as negligible. Electron in the extranuclear part revolve in the discrete orbits around the nucleus. The energy of an electron is determined by the shell in which it is present.