Matter and radiation

Question 1

Nucleon

Answer 1

A neutron or proton in the nucleus

Question 2

Atomic number (Z)

Answer 2

The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom

Question 3

Isotopes

Answer 3

Atoms of an element with the same number of protons, but different numbers of neutrons

Question 4

Nucleon/mass number (A)

Answer 4

The number of neutrons and protons in a nucleus

Question 5

Nuclide

Answer 5

A type of nucleus with a particular number of protons and neutrons

Question 6

Specific charge

Answer 6

Charge/mass value of a charged particle

Question 7

Strong nuclear force

Answer 7

Attractive force between nucleons that holds the nucleons in the nucleus

Question 8

Alpha radiation

Answer 8

Particles that each consist of two protons and two neutrons

Question 9

Beta radiation

Answer 9

ß- particles are fast moving electrons emitted by unstable neutron-rich nuclei; ß+ particles are fast moving positrons emitted by unstable proton-rich nuclei

Question 10

Antineutrino

Answer 10

The antiparticle of a neutrino

Question 11

Gamma radiation

Answer 11

High-energy photons emitted by unstable nuclei

Question 12

Neutrino

Answer 12

Uncharged lepton with a very low rest mass compared with the electron

Question 13

Photon

Answer 13

Packet or ‘quantum’ of electromagnetic waves

Question 14

Photoelectricity

Answer 14

Emission of electrons from a metal surface with the surface when the surface is illuminated by light of frequency greater than a minimum value known as the threshold frequency

Question 15

Positron

Answer 15

Antiparticle of the electron

Question 16

Annihilation

Answer 16

When a particle and its antiparticle meet, they destroy each other and become radiation

Question 17

Rest energy

Answer 17

Energy due to rest mass m, equal to mc^2, where c is the speed of light in a vacuum

Question 18

Antiparticles

Answer 18

There is an antiparticle for every type of particle. A particle and its corresponding antiparticle have equal rest mass and, if charged, equal and opposite charge

Question 19

Pair production

Answer 19

When a gamma photon changes into a particle and an antiparticle

Question 20

Momentum

Answer 20

Mass x velocity

Question 21

Virtual photons

Answer 21

Carrier of electromagnetic force; a photon exchanged between two charged particles when the interact

Question 22

Feynman diagram

Answer 22

Representation of the interaction between two particles or antiparticles or the decay of a particle or antiparticle

Question 23

Weak nuclear force

Answer 23

Force responsible for beta decay

Question 24

W boson

Answer 24

Carrier of the weak nuclear force; W bosons have non-zero rest mass and may be positive or negative

Question 25

Electron capture

Answer 25

Process in which an inner-shell electron of an atom is captured by the nucleus

Question 26

Laser

Answer 26

Device that produces a parallel coherent beam of monochromatic light