The mass of a nucleus is the total number of its protons and neutrons. The protons and neutrons are the subatomic particles that make up the nucleus of an atom. The mass of an atom is mostly concentrated in its nucleus, and the electrons orbiting the nucleus have a much smaller mass. Therefore, the mass of an atom is mostly determined by the number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus. The number of protons determines the element, and the number of neutrons can vary, resulting in isotopes of that element.