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Atomic nucleus-The atomic nucleus is the small dense region consisting of protons and neutrons at the center of an atom discovered in 1911 by EARNEST RUTHERFORD. Atoms are made up of a positively charged nucleus surrounded by a cloud of negatively charged atoms. Nuclei are very dense and extremely small. They contain more than 999/ of the mass of an atom and are 10000 times smaller than an atom.

My question is what is the role of the nucleus in an atom? Does the nucleus of an atom move?

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  • $\begingroup$ What is the difference between atom and nucleus? Electrons. what is the role of the nucleus in an atom? Without nucleus, there would be nothing left to kep electrons together. Does the nucleus of an atom move? How would you breathe if they did not ? $\endgroup$
    – Poutnik
    Commented Mar 3, 2021 at 13:54

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A nucleus has the following roles in an atom.

  1. It contains almost all the mass of the atom

  2. It is positively charged and hence keep the electrons in orbit via electromagnetic force (attractive)

  3. A nucleus contains protons which determine which element the atom is of

That's all. And, no, it is safe to assume that nuclei don't move within the atom, they are stationary, mostly for their large mass. But if the atom itself goes somewhere, so does the nucleus. Quite like you sitting on a bus, which can move but you will not get up from your seat

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  • $\begingroup$ I was thinking of it with the atom itself being the reference frame. A nucleus surely doesn't go anywhere within the atom. Anyways, I will point the ref frame out $\endgroup$
    – Habib
    Commented Mar 3, 2021 at 14:09

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