3. Particle Physics Terms And Facts

Question 1

Proton number

Answer 1

The bottom number of an element which shows the amount of protons and electrons in an atom of the element

Question 2

Nucleon number

Answer 2

The top number on an element which shows the combined number of protons and neutrons

Question 3

Isotope

Answer 3

An element with the same amount of protons but different number of neutrons

Question 4

Fundamental particle

Answer 4

A particle that is not made up of other particles
The most basic particle

Question 5

Quarks

Answer 5

Particles found within protons, neutrons and delta particles
Eg. Up and Down quarks

Question 6

Antiquark

Answer 6

The complete opposite to a quark so has the opposite properties

Question 7

Lepton

Answer 7

The family name for electrons and electron neutrinos

Question 8

Hadron

Answer 8

A family of particles that are made up of quarks and they experience strong interaction

Umbrellas baryons and mesons

Question 9

Baryon

Answer 9

A particle made up of 3 quarks

Question 10

Mesons

Answer 10

A particle made out of a quark and an antiquark

Question 11

Antimatter

Answer 11

The opposite associated antiparticle which has the same mass but has a charge which is equal and opposite of the other particle

Question 12

Charge on a up quark

Answer 12

+ 2/3 e

Question 13

Charge on down quark

Answer 13

• 1/3 e

Question 14

Charge on electron

Answer 14

-1 e

Question 15

Charge on electron neutrino

Answer 15

0

Question 16

Combination of quarks in a proton

Answer 16

uud

Question 17

Combination of quarks in a neutron

Answer 17

ddu

Question 18

Combination of quarks in a delta minus

Answer 18

ddd

Question 19

Combination of quarks in a delta plus plus

Answer 19

uuu

Question 20

Charge on a delta minus

Answer 20

-1 e

Question 21

Charge on a delta plus plus

Answer 21

+2 e

Question 22

How can you spot an antiquark

Answer 22

The letter has a line/hat over the top

Question 23

Charge on an anti up quark

Answer 23

-2/3 e

Question 24

Charge on an antibottom quark

Answer 24

+1/3 e

Question 25

Charge on a positron

Answer 25

+1e

Question 26

Examples of leptons

Answer 26

Electron
Electron-neutrino
And antis

Question 27

Examples of quarks

Answer 27

Up
Down
And antis

Question 28

Examples of mesons

Answer 28

Pi minus
Pi plus
Pi zero

Question 29

What happens when matter meets antimatter

Answer 29

An annihilation reaction takes place where the matter transfers into energy in the form of photons

Question 30

What is pair production?

Answer 30

The opposite of annihilation when a gamma photon turns into an electron and a positron.

Question 31

What to do when you have a question to identify the particle:

Answer 31

Draw out a table to compare the baryon number, lepton number and charge of the other particles. Each side of the equation must be equal to conserve energy so use this to find out the particles properties.