Which statement about electrons is true?

• A. They are larger than protons.
• B. They carry a positive charge.
• C. They occupy orbitals around the nucleus.
• D. They are located inside the nucleus.

Answer: (C)

The key idea is where electrons are found in an atom. Electrons are bound to the nucleus but don’t sit inside it; they occupy orbitals around the nucleus—regions in space where there is a high probability of finding an electron. This orbital picture comes from quantum mechanics and describes electrons as a cloud of probability rather than precise planetary paths.

So the statement that correctly describes electrons is that they occupy orbitals around the nucleus. The other statements misstate their location or charge: electrons are not larger than protons in any meaningful sense, they carry a negative charge, and they are not located inside the nucleus.