Students are completing a table about a particular subatomic particle that helps make up an atom. The students have filled in one cell of the table so far.

\begin{tabular}{|l|l|l|}
\hline
Mass (amu) & Location & Charge \\
\hline
1 & & \\
\hline
\end{tabular}

Based on the information shown, which statement about the subatomic particle must be correct?

A. Its location is in the nucleus, because the particle is a proton or a neutron.
B. Its location is in the nucleus, because the particle is a neutron or an electron.



Answer :

Alright class, let's analyze the problem together step-by-step.

We are given that the mass of the subatomic particle is 1 atomic mass unit (amu). Now, we need to determine its location and identify what type of particle it could be.

1. Understanding Atomic Mass Units (amu):
- An atomic mass unit (amu) is a standard unit of mass that quantifies mass on an atomic or molecular scale (1 amu is approximately equal to the mass of a single nucleon, either a proton or a neutron).
- Common subatomic particles we consider are protons, neutrons, and electrons.
- Protons and neutrons each have a mass close to 1 amu.
- Electrons have a much smaller mass, approximately [tex]\( \frac{1}{1836} \)[/tex] amu, which is nearly negligible when compared to the mass of protons and neutrons.

2. Identifying Possible Particles:
- Since the given subatomic particle has a mass of 1 amu, it must be either a proton or a neutron.

3. Localization within the Atom:
- Protons and neutrons are found in the nucleus of an atom.
- Electrons are located in the electron cloud surrounding the nucleus but not in the nucleus.

4. Conclusion:
- Given that the mass is 1 amu, the particle must be located in the nucleus. Hence, it can only be a proton or a neutron.

Thus, the statement that correctly describes the information provided is:
"Its location is in the nucleus, because the particle is a proton or a neutron."

This statement correctly matches the given mass and the known locations and types of subatomic particles within an atom.