2.1 & 2.2 Particles and Radiation Flashcards
2.1 atomic structure & decay equations 2.2 classification of particles
What are the 3 constituents of an atom?
protons
neutrons
electrons
what is the structure of an atom?
- at the centre of an atom is a nucleus
- the nucleus is formed of protons and neutrons
- they’re known as nucleons
- electrons orbit the nucleus in shells
What are the properties shown in the constituents of the atom?5
- charge
- relative charge
- mass
- relative mass
- specific charge
What is the charge of a proton?
1.6 x 10^-19
What is the relative charge of a proton?
+1
What is the mass of a proton?
1.67 x 10^-27
What is the relative mass of a proton?
1
What is the specific charge of a proton?
9.58 x^7
What is the charge and relative charge and specific charge of a neutron?
0
What is the mass of a neutron?
1.67 x 10^-27
What is the relative mass of a neutron?
1
What is the charge of an electron
-1.6 x 10^-19
What is the relative charge of an electron?
-1
What is the specific charge of electrons?
1.76 x 10^11
what is the mass of electrons?
9.11 x 10-31
What is the relative mass of an electron?
0.0005
What is the specific charge of a particle?
The charge to mass ratio
- calculated by dividing a particles charge by its mass
What is an isotope?
atoms with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons
What is the proton number denoted by?
Z
What is the nucleon number and what is it denoted by?
- number of protons and neutrons
- A
How do strong nuclear forces keep nuclei stable?
- by contracting the electrostatic force of repulsion between protons in the nucleus
- only acts on nucleons and has a very short range, - - —– where it is attractive up to separations of 3fm, and below separations of 0.5fm
What are unstable nuclei? 4
- those which have too many either protons, neutrons or both
- causing the strong nuclear forces to not be enough to keep them stable
- thus the nuclei will decay in order to become stable
- the type of decay experienced depends on the amount of each nucleon in them
What are the different types of decay?
- alpha decay
- beta-minus decay
What is alpha decay?
- occurs in large nuclei with too many both protons and neutrons
- proton number decreases by 2
- nucleon number decreases by 4