Which is larger: the nucleus of an atom ot the electron cloud?

Question

I need to know the answer to this question for my mid-term exam for chemistry. Can someone tell me which one is larger?

Answer 1

The electron cloud is much, much bigger than the nucleus.

If your whole computer screen is an atom, then probably this '.' would be the size of the nucleus.



"The diameter of the nucleus is in the range of 1.75 fm (1.75×10−15 m) for hydrogen (the diameter of a single proton)to about 15 fm for the heaviest atoms, such as uranium. These dimensions are much smaller than the diameter of the atom itself (nucleus + electronic cloud), by a factor of about 23,000 (uranium) to about 145,000 (hydrogen)"



The rest of the space is empty or occupied by the electron cloud, which is much bigger.

Most of the mass of the atom however, is concentrated in this small '.' on the screen. The nucleus is incredibly dense with a density of about 4×10^17 kg/m³

Answer 2

The probability density clouds, the orbitals, extend beyond the nucleus. The inner orbital, which makes up the inner s shell, is diagrammed as a sphere that extends beyond the nuclei. So, one could argue the electron clouds are larger in that they do lie outside the nuclei.

Answer 3

electron cloud by far. the nucleus only takes up a tiny volume fraction of the atom.