Particle key words Flashcards
Work function
the minimum energy required to liberate an electron from the surface of a specific metal.
Photoelectric effect
when photons of light with frequency greater than the threshold frequency are incident on the surface of a metal and photoelectrons are emitted.
Stopping potential
the minimum potential required to prevent the emission of a photoelectron.
Fluorescence
when an electron in an atomic orbital absorbs energy from an interaction with a photon or a collision with another atom
Ionisation
the absorption of energy by an electron in the orbital shells where the energy absorbed is greater than the ionisation energy of the atom, resulting in the electron dissociating.
Excitation
The absorption of energy by an electron in the orbital shells where the energy absorbed is less than the ionisation energy of the atom.
Emission Spectra
- a spectrum of electromagnetic radiation showing only the emitted photons of light corresponding to discrete energy level of a atom of an element.
Absorption spectra
a continuous spectrum of electromagnetic radiation that has specific wavelengths absent, where the energy corresponding to that wavelength has been absorbed.
Electronvolt
the energy required to accelerate an electron through a potential difference of 1 volt.
Isotope
An element with the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons
Antimatter
A particle with identical mass to its matter counterpart but all opposite quantum numbers (e.g. charge, baryon number, lepton number, spin etc.)
Nucleon
A baryon found only in the nucleus (e.g. proton or neutron)
Baryon
A composite hadron that is composed of three quarks that will decay either directly or indirectly into a proton.
Hadron
composite particles that are made only of quarks (or antiquarks). The experience the strong nuclear force.
Boson
An exchange particle
