1) Atoms are made up of even smaller particles called subatomic particles, including protons, neutrons and electrons. Most of an atom's mass is concentrated in a tiny nucleus at the center, made of protons and neutrons, with electrons orbiting the outside. 2) J.J. Thomson's experiment with cathode ray tubes provided evidence that atoms contain negatively charged particles called electrons. Rutherford's gold foil experiment showed that the positive charge of atoms is concentrated in a very small nucleus. 3) Isotopes are atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons, giving them different atomic masses. Atomic mass is calculated based on the relative abundances of isotopes in nature.