Which particle has a negative charge and is located outside the nucleus?

• A. Proton
• B. Neutron
• C. Electron
• D. Positron

Answer: (C)

The main concept is that the negative charge in an atom resides in electrons that surround the nucleus. The nucleus itself contains positively charged protons and neutral neutrons. Electrons carry a negative charge and are bound to the nucleus by electrostatic attraction, forming the surrounding electron cloud or orbitals. Because of this arrangement, the particle with a negative charge located outside the nucleus is the electron. Protons are positively charged and reside in the nucleus, while neutrons have no charge and are also inside the nucleus. A positron is the antiparticle of the electron with positive charge and is not part of ordinary atoms in their normal structure, so it isn’t the typical negative-charged particle found outside the nucleus.