Protonerna

Protonerna are the Swedish term for protons, the positively charged subatomic particles that reside in atomic nuclei. Protons, together with neutrons, form the bulk of the mass of ordinary matter. Each proton carries a positive electric charge of +1 elementary charge and has a mass close to 1 atomic mass unit. The number of protons in a nucleus, called the atomic number Z, determines the identity of the element.

Protons are composed of three valence quarks (two up quarks and one down quark) held together by gluons, as described by quantum chromodynamics. They interact via the strong nuclear force, electromagnetism, and the weak interaction, and participate in processes such as fusion, fission, and beta-plus decay.

In chemistry, the proton count defines the element’s identity (for example, hydrogen has one proton, carbon has six). The nucleus’s binding energy and the ratio of protons to neutrons influence stability and isotopic properties. Protons are complemented by neutrons in nuclei and, together, help determine nuclear reactions, energy production in stars, and various applications in medicine and industry.

Protons are generally stable in ordinary matter; some theories predict proton decay, but no experimental observation has confirmed it. Current upper bounds place the proton lifetime far beyond 10^34 years in many models. See also protons, atomic nucleus, and nuclear reactions.