Britannica
Sources used in this answer
What particles make up a hydrogen atom?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
A hydrogen atom is primarily composed of two subatomic particles: a single proton in the nucleus and one electron associated with that nucleus.12
While most atoms contain neutrons in their nuclei, the most common isotope of hydrogen, known as protium, is an exception because its nucleus consists solely of one proton and no neutrons.32
Hydrogen does have other isotopes that include neutrons:
* Deuterium: Contains one proton and one neutron.1
* Tritium: Contains one proton and two neutrons.1
In a neutral hydrogen atom, the positive charge of the single proton is balanced by the negative charge of the single electron.12