A proton is a tiny particle in the nucleus of an atom that has a positive electric charge.
From Greek *prōton* 'the first thing', from *prōtos* 'first'. It was named to highlight its fundamental role in atomic structure.
Protons are the 'first things' that decide what element an atom is—change the number of protons and you change the element itself. Your body, your phone, and the stars are all built from how these tiny positives are counted and arranged.
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