Which subatomic particle has a positive charge and is found in the nucleus of an atom?

• A. A subatomic particle that has no charge and is found in the nucleus of an atom
• B. A subatomic particle with a negative charge found in the orbitals
• C. A subatomic particle that is not in the nucleus and carries charge
• D. A subatomic particle that has a positive charge and is found in the nucleus of an atom

Answer: (D)

Understanding which subatomic particle is positively charged and located in the nucleus is the central idea here. The particle that fits this description is the proton. Protons live in the nucleus and carry a positive electric charge, which helps define the atom’s identity through the atomic number. Neutrons also reside in the nucleus but have no electric charge, so they don’t contribute to the positive charge. Electrons orbit outside the nucleus and have a negative charge, so they aren’t the positively charged particle in the nucleus. Therefore, the positively charged, nucleus-located particle is the proton.