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A-Level Physics > [AS] Particles and Radiation > Flashcards

[AS] Particles and Radiation Flashcards

1
Q

What constituents make up the nucleus?

A

Proton, Neutron

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2
Q

What is the charge on a proton?

A

+1.6 x 10^-19 C

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3
Q

What is the charge on a neutron?

A

None

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4
Q

What is the charge on an electron?

A

-1.6 x 10^-19 C

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5
Q

What is specific charge referred to as in the formulae booklet?

A

Charge-to-mass ratio

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6
Q

In AZX notation, what does X refer to?

A

The element

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7
Q

In AZX notation, what does Z refer to?

A

Proton number

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8
Q

In AZX notation, what does A refer to?

A

Nucleon number

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9
Q

What is an isotope?

A

A form of an atom with the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons

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10
Q

What are the four fundamental forces?

A

Gravity
Electromagnetic
Strong Nuclear
Weak Nuclear

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11
Q

What property of a nucleus necessitates the existence of the Strong Nuclear force?

A

Protons in a nucleus are positively charged; they should be repelled due to the Electromagnetic force

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12
Q

Up to what range is the strong nuclear force attractive?

A

3 fm

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13
Q

Closer than what range is the strong nuclear force repulsive?

A

0.5 fm

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14
Q

How much is a femtometer?

A

1 x 10^-15m

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15
Q

What is the proton number above which a nuclei becomes unstable and radioactive?

A

83

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16
Q

An alpha particle is the same as what?

A

A helium nucleus

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17
Q

A beta-minus particle is the same as what?

A

A high-speed electron

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18
Q

Other than a beta-minus particle, what else is emitted in beta-minus decay?

A

Electron-Antineutrino

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19
Q

What is a gamma ray?

A

A photon of electromagnetic radiation

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20
Q

Why was the presence of the neutrino first hypothesised?

A

Conservation of energy in beta decay

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21
Q

What is the order of the electromagnetic spectrum, in increasing frequency?

A

Radio, microwave, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-ray, gamma ray

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22
Q

What properties are the same for a particle-antiparticle pair?

A

Mass, rest energy

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23
Q

What property is opposite for a particle-antiparticle pair?

A

Charge

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24
Q

What is pair production?

A

A photon with enough energy turns into a particle and an antiparticle

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25
Q

Why are particle tracks in pair production curved?

A

There’s usually a magnetic field present in experiments, and they have opposite charges

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26
Q

What is the only type of photon with enough energy for pair production?

A

Gamma ray photon

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27
Q

What pair is usually created in pair production, an why?

A

Electron-positron, because they have relatively low mass

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28
Q

What is the minimum energy for a photon to undergo pair production equal to?

A

Total rest energy of the particles produced (2E0)

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29
Q

What happens when a particle meets its antiparticle?

A

Annihilation

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30
Q

How long to antiparticles typically exist for?

A

A fraction of a second

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31
Q

What do you multiply eV by to get Joules?

A

1.6 x 10^-19

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32
Q

What do you multiply MeV by to get Joules?

A

1.6 x 10^-13

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33
Q

What are exchange particles called?

A

Gauge bosons

34
Q

What is an exchange particle?

A

The exchange particle is the force carrier for a given force

35
Q

What particles are affected by the electromagnetic force?

A

Charged particles

36
Q

What is the gauge boson for the electromagnetic force?

A

Virtual photon

37
Q

What particles are affected by the weak nuclear force?

A

All particles

38
Q

What is the gauge boson for the weak nuclear force?

A

W^+ and W^-

39
Q

What is the gauge boson for the strong nuclear force

A

Pions (or gluons)

40
Q

What is the relationship between the mass of a gauge boson and the range of the force?

A

The larger the mass of the gauge boson, the shorter the range of the force

41
Q

What is the mass of the W-boson compared to a proton?

A

About 100 times larger

42
Q

What is the mass of a photon, and the range of the force?

A

Zero mass; infinite range

43
Q

How do you draw the exchange particle in Feynman diagrams?

A

Wiggly line

44
Q

How do you draw regular particles in a Feynman diagram?

A

Straight line

45
Q

What happens when two particles with equal charges get close to each-other?

A

They repel

46
Q

What does a W-boson do to charge in a Feynman diagram?

A

Carries charge from one side to the other

47
Q

In a Feynman diagram, a W- particle going to the left has the same effect as what?

A

A W+ particle going to the right

48
Q

In a Feynman diagram, a W+ particle going to the left has the same effect as what?

A

A W- particle going to the right

49
Q

In a Feynman diagram, a W+ particle going to the right has the same effect as what?

A

A W- particle going to the left

50
Q

What does a neutron become in beta-minus decay?

51
Q

What does a proton become in beta+ decay?

52
Q

What is the exchange particle for beta-minus decay?

53
Q

What is the exchange particle for beta+ decay?

54
Q

What are the products of beta+ decay?

A

Neutron, positron, electron-neutrino

55
Q

What are the products of beta-minus decay?

A

Proton, electron, electron-antineutrino

56
Q

In electron capture, what is the angle of the exchange particle?

A

Horizontal

57
Q

In electromagnetic repulsion, what is the angle of the exchange particle?

A

Horizontal

58
Q

In beta decay, what is the angle of the exchange particle?

A

Diagonally upwards (towards the right)

59
Q

What is the exchange particle for electron capture?

60
Q

What are the factors of electron capture?

A

Proton and electron

61
Q

What are the products of electron capture?

A

Neutron and electron-neutrino

62
Q

What interaction is responsible for electron capture?

A

Weak nuclear

63
Q

What interaction is responsible for beta decay?

A

Weak nuclear

64
Q

What interaction is responsible for the repulsion of equally-charged particles?

A

Electromagnetic force

65
Q

What is about 100 times larger than a proton?

A

A W- boson

66
Q

What is about 100 time smaller than a W- boson?

67
Q

What particles feel the strong nuclear force?

A

Hadrons (baryons and mesons)

68
Q

Do hadrons feel the strong nuclear force?

69
Q

Do leptons feel the strong nuclear force?

70
Q

In what sized nuclei does alpha emission occur?

A

Very big

e.g. uranium, radium

71
Q

Why does alpha emission occur?

A

Nuclei is unstable because its too massive for the strong nuclear force

72
Q

What is the range of an alpha particle?

A

Only a few cm in air

73
Q

How can you observe the range of an alpha particle?

A

Tracks left in a cloud chamber

Geiger counter

74
Q

Why does beta decay occur?

A

Isotope is unstable due to being “neutron-rich”

75
Q

What is annihilation?

A

A particle and its antiparticle meet and all the mass gets turned back into energy

76
Q

What are the products of annihilation?

A

Two gamma ray photons

77
Q

Which type of electromagnetic radiation has the highest frequency?

A

Gamma rays

78
Q

Which type of electromagnetic radiation has the lowest frequency?

A

Radio waves

79
Q

Which type of electromagnetic radiation has the largest wavelength?

A

Radio waves

80
Q

Which type of electromagnetic radiation has the smallest wavelength?

A

Gamma rays

81
Q

What is the Gauge boson for Electromagnetic repulsion?

A

Virtual photon

82
Q

What do neutrons decay to?

A-Level Physics (13 decks)

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