Which of the following best describes the relative mass of an electron compared to a proton?

• A. Equal to the mass of a proton
• B. Twice the mass of a proton
• C. Approximately 1/1836 the mass of a proton
• D. Approximately 1/2 the mass of a proton

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall that the proton and electron are subatomic particles with very different masses.
2. Understand that the proton is much heavier than the electron, and the electron's mass is often expressed as a fraction of the proton's mass.
3. Know the approximate mass of a proton is about 1.67 \times 10^{-27} kg, while the mass of an electron is about 9.11 \times 10^{-31} kg.
4. Calculate the ratio of the electron's mass to the proton's mass by dividing the electron mass by the proton mass: \(\frac{m_{electron}}{m_{proton}} = \frac{9.11 \times 10^{-31}}{1.67 \times 10^{-27}}\).
5. Recognize that this ratio is approximately 1/1836, meaning the electron's mass is about 1/1836 the mass of a proton.