Chapter 3: Nuclear Physics

Question 1

Explain to me about quarks

Answer 1

A proton is made up of 3 quarks. There are 2 types of quarks up and down quarks. The up quark has a positive charge of 2/3 where as the down quark has a negative charge of -1/3.

They all have different masses, charge and spin.

Question 2

Explain the charge of proton

Answer 2

The charge of a proton is +1. As there are 3 quarks, 2 ups and 1 down. 2/3 + 2/3 - 1/3 =3/3=1

Question 3

What are Lepton?

Answer 3

The electron is part of a group of particles “Leptons”. The particles either have a -1 charge or a 0.

Question 4

What are Lepton?

Answer 4

The electron is part of a group of particles “Leptons”. The particles either have a -1 charge or a 0.

Question 5

What are antimatter?

Answer 5

For every particle there is an equivalent which has everything the same, except for having the opposite charge.

For example you have an negative electron charge then its antimatter would be a positron.

The reason for why there is so little antimatter in the universe because it would explode if it gets in contact with each other.

Question 6

What is the strong nuclear force?

Answer 6

Strong nuclear works at the subatomic level. Strong nuclear force is used to keep the nucleus intact.

If there are 2 protons then they would try to go away form each other however nuclear force makes sure that doesn’t happen.

Question 7

What is the weak nuclear force?

Answer 7

It is responsible for differnet types of radioactive decay such a beta decay, and for some interactions between subatomic particles. The weak force is considered to be “weak” because it is much weaker than the other fundamental forces. It is related to particles called Wand Z bosons, which are changed between particles involved in the weak interaction.

Question 8

Whatdoes different amount of each part of the atom mean?

Answer 8

Different # of protons mean different elements.

Different # of neutrons mean different isotypes.

Different # of electrons mean different ions.

Question 9

What are nuclear reactions?

Answer 9

The electromagnet force is responsible for the entirety of the chemical phenomena.

In a chemical reaction, the identity of the atom remains unchanged.

In a nuclear reaction changes occur to the fundamental particles in the nucleus which means through a nuclear reaction the particle will change into another.

Question 10

What happens in a nuclear reaction?

Answer 10

These reactions are some kind of nuclear decay where something in the nucleus disintegrates giving off some form of radiation in the process.

Question 11

What are the different possible nuclear emissions?

Answer 11

Alpha, Beta, Gamma

Question 12

What are Alpha Particles?

Answer 12

The alpha particle is a helium nucleus which is 2 protons and neutrons.

Emitting an alpha particle will result in transmission meaning it would change elements.

Question 13

What are Beta particles?

Answer 13

These are either electrons or positrons.

Question 14

What are Gamma particles?

Answer 14

It is a photon of light.

Question 15

What are the symbols of diffrent nuclear activities?

Answer 15

Please take a look in the back!!!!!!! Doogie

Question 16

Why does Alpha emission occur?

Answer 16

It is always due to some instability in the nucleus.

One reason could e that the nucleus is just too large. Here it will emit alpha particles to get itself back to a stable level.

Question 17

What is spontaneous fission?

Answer 17

Instead of emitting alpha particles, it can also undergo spontaneous fission where it breaks into multiple smaller atoms and a few neutrons.

Question 18

What is Beta emission?

Answer 18

In Beta emission the reason an electron is emitted because a neutron spontaneously transforms into a proton.

Question 19

What is Beta emission?

Answer 19

In Beta emission, the reason an electron is emitted because a neutron spontaneously transforms into a proton.

Question 20

Why is the neutron slightly heavier than a proton?

Answer 20

Though proton and neutron weigh 1 amu. The neutron is teachnically heavier, because it contains an electron as well.

That is why when a neutron turns into a proton, an electron gets released as well.

Question 21

Why would an atom undergo beta emission?

Answer 21

An atom would undergo this when too many neutrons to the proton are present in the atom.

Question 22

What is positron emission?

Answer 22

Positron emission is the exact same except a positron gets emitted instead of an electron.

That happens if a proton turns into neutron when there are too many protons for the neutrons in the atom.

Question 23

What is electron capture?

Answer 23

Another way to do the above is through absorbing an electron since p+e =n

The electron tends to come from one of the inner orbital layers.

Question 24

What is Gamma Emission?

Answer 24

When a nucleus is in an excited state it can emit a high-energy gamma photon. In this process, there is no transformation. because we don’t change any protons or neutrons.

Question 25

What are the reasons for nuclear decay?

Answer 25

Too many protons? proton emission/electron capture

Too many neutrons? beta emission

Too big? Alpha emission/Spontaneous Fisison

Excited? Gamme emission

Question 26

What is half life?

Answer 26

This is the time it takes for a material to be depleted in half.

Question 27

What is the formula for half-life?

Answer 27

The formula for the half-life is t=0.694/K where K is a constant specific to the element.

Question 28

What is the Einstein’s formula?

Answer 28

E = mc^2 where c means the speed of light

Question 29

What is nuclear fission?

Answer 29

This is where smaller atoms combine to make larger ones.