Inside an atom

Everything is made of atoms. The center holds protons, which are positive, and the electrons around it are negative. You pick an atom, count both kinds, and take one electron away to see its charge change.

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A carbon atom with six protons and six neutrons in the center and six electrons in two rings

What to try

1Start on Copper and read Protons and Electrons. Both are 29, so Charge of the atom is 0.
2Set One electron to Taken away. Copper now has one more proton than electrons, so the atom has a charge of +1.
3Pick Hydrogen, then Carbon, then Aluminum. Each one has as many electrons as protons, so none of them has a charge.

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More visuals

Opposite charges attractTwo like charges push apart, and two opposite charges pull together. Bring the balls closer and the force gets stronger.
Valence electronsThe electrons in an atom's outer ring decide whether a material carries current. Try copper, silver, aluminum, silicon, and plastic.
What electricity isCurrent is electrons drifting along a wire. Look inside the copper and see how slowly they move, even though the lamp lights at once.