Atoms: The Building Blocks of Nature and Energy

Everything you see-and the air you don't see-is made of atoms. Atoms are tiny particles that make up every object in the universe.

Everything you see-and the air you don't see-is made of atoms. Atoms are tiny particles that make up every object in the universe.

Atoms are so small you cannot see them without a very powerful microscope. Inside each atom are even smaller particles called protons, neutrons, and electrons. The center of each atom is called a nucleus. Atoms for each type of object in the universe are different, depending on how many protons, neutrons, and electrons they contain.

Each atom acts like a small magnet. The protons are the positive charge. The electrons are the negative charge. The neutrons have no charge, but they balance the positive and negative charges of the protons and electrons so that the atom holds together. The balance of the protons, electrons, and neutrons is called “nuclear energy”-the energy inside the nucleus of the atom.

Scientists can unleash and capture this energy by breaking apart the tiny atoms of a special type of uranium, which is a rock found in many parts of the world, including the United States.