proton


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A positively charged subatomic particle found in the nucleus of an atom. A proton's electrical charge has the same magnitude as that of an electron. A single proton, however, is 1,836 times more massive than an electron. Usually, the number of protons balances the number of electrons within an atom. In this case, the atom is electrically neutral. When the balance is tipped, the atom becomes electrically charged and is called an ion.