or protons and electrons?

protons and neutrons.

The electrons are on the outside keeping the protons inside.

thank yoU!:)

The electrons do not keep the protons inside. The protons are kept in the nucleus by the strong force, a nuclear force. The electrons are in a cloud of charge, a wave, surrounding the nucleus, with each "electron" wave having a specific quanta of energy.

Protons and electrons are subatomic particles that play important roles in the structure and behavior of atoms. Protons are positively charged particles found in the nucleus of an atom, while electrons are negatively charged particles that orbit around the nucleus.

To determine the number of protons in an atom, you need to know the atomic number of the element. The atomic number represents the number of protons in an atom and is a unique identifier for each element on the periodic table. For example, the atomic number of hydrogen (H) is 1, which means hydrogen atoms have one proton. The atomic number of carbon (C) is 6, indicating that carbon atoms have six protons.

Electrons, on the other hand, can vary in number and are located in energy levels or electron shells around the nucleus. The first shell can hold a maximum of 2 electrons, while the second and subsequent shells have increasing capacities. The exact arrangement and number of electrons can be determined by using the atomic number and the knowledge of electron configurations, which follow specific rules based on the atom's position on the periodic table.

Keep in mind that the number of electrons in an atom is equal to the number of protons, as atoms are electrically neutral overall. However, in certain cases, atoms can gain or lose electrons to form ions, which are charged particles.

So, to summarize, the atomic number of an element tells you the number of protons in its nucleus, while the number of electrons in an atom is equal to the number of protons in order to maintain overall electrical neutrality.