Proton

                                 PROTON

A proton is a tiny, subatomic particle located deep inside the center of an atom, in a region called the nucleus. It carries a positive electrical charge (+1), which acts like a magnet to hold the negatively charged electrons in their orbits. The most important thing to remember about a proton is that it defines the identity of an atom; the number of protons in the nucleus is known as the atomic number, and it tells us which element we are looking at. For example, every Hydrogen atom has exactly 1 proton, while every Carbon atom has 6.

​Protons are much heavier than electrons—about 1,836 times more massive, to be exact—and they stay tightly packed together with neutrons. They are held in place by a powerful "glue" known as the strong nuclear force, which is strong enough to keep all those positive charges from pushing each other away. Without protons, atoms wouldn't have the positive "pull" needed to stay together, and the different elements that make up our world wouldn't exist!