Florida Teacher Certification Examinations (FTCE) Subject Area Practice Test

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Prepare for the FTCE Subject Area Test. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each offering hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

Which statement accurately describes the mass of an electron?

It is significantly greater than the mass of a proton.
It is equal to the mass of a proton.
It is negligible compared to the mass of a neutron.
It has a mass equivalent to one-third of a proton.

The correct answer is: It is negligible compared to the mass of a neutron.

The statement that describes the mass of an electron accurately reflects that it is negligible compared to the mass of a neutron. The mass of an electron is approximately 9.11 x 10^-31 kilograms, which is significantly smaller than the mass of both protons and neutrons. A proton has a mass of about 1.67 x 10^-27 kilograms, while a neutron is slightly more massive at about 1.68 x 10^-27 kilograms. Since both protons and neutrons are several hundred times more massive than an electron, it underscores why the electron's mass can be considered negligible in comparison. In scientific contexts, this understanding is important when considering atomic structure and behavior, as the comparatively massive protons and neutrons dominate the mass of an atom, while electrons occupy space around the nucleus and contribute minimally to the atom's overall mass. This concept is foundational in chemistry and physics, impacting how we interpret atomic interactions and bonding.