Atomic shell

Okay kiddo, think of an atom like a tiny toy house. It's made up of parts called electrons, protons and neutrons.

Now imagine that the electrons are like kids who live inside the toy house. But just like kids, they can't all live in the same room because there's not enough space. So, the electrons are organized into different "rooms" called shells.

The first shell is closest to the toy house and can only fit two electrons. The second shell is a little further away and can fit up to eight electrons. The third shell is even further and can fit up to 18 electrons.

Each shell is like a different floor in the toy house. Just like how you might have a bedroom on the first floor and a playroom on the second floor, each shell has its own unique characteristics.

Scientists use the different electron shells to help understand how atoms react with each other and how they form different compounds.

So, now you know that an atomic shell is like a "room" where electrons live in an atom, and there are different shells that can hold different numbers of electrons. Pretty cool huh?