When determining the mass of an atom, the electrons are not considered. Why can scientists disregard the electrons?

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Scientists can disregard the mass of electrons when determining the mass of an atom because electrons are much lighter than protons and neutrons. The relative mass of an electron is about 1/1836th of a proton or neutron. In other words, electrons contribute very little to the total mass of an atom.

To calculate the mass of an atom, scientists typically use the atomic mass unit (amu) as the unit of measurement. One atomic mass unit is defined as 1/12th the mass of a carbon-12 atom, which contains six protons, six neutrons, and six electrons. Since the mass of electrons is so negligible compared to the mass of protons and neutrons, scientists generally round the mass of an electron to zero when considering the overall mass of an atom.

It's important to note that while electrons don't contribute significantly to the mass, they do play a crucial role in determining the chemical properties and behavior of an atom. However, when it comes to calculating mass, they can be disregarded without significant impact.