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atomic nucleus
haste-ye atom (#)
Fr.: noyau atomique
The central part of the → atom. It is made up of
→ protons and, in most cases,
→ neutrons. The nucleus is surrounded by a swarm of fast-moving
→ electrons. Almost all of the mass (more than 99%) of an atom is
contained in the dense nucleus. The number of protons in the nucleus
(called → atomic number) determines the type of
→ chemical element. |