Particle Physics Flashcards
What are protons and neutrons collectively known as
Nucleon
What is the relative mass of a proton and neutron
1
What is the relative charge of a proton
+1
What is the relative charge of a neutron
0
What is the relative charge of an electron
-1
What does changing an element’s protons make
A new element
What does changing an element’s neutrons make
An isotope
What does changing an element’s electrons make
An ion
What do unstable isotopes decay into
More stable isotopes
What is specific charge
The amount of charge an object has per kilogram
What are the four fundamental forces
SNF, WNF, gravity and electromagnetic
How would you describe the range of the strong nuclear force
Has a very short range
If nucleons are between 0 and 0.5 fm what force does the strong nuclear force have
Repulsive
If nucleons are between 0.5 and 3 fm what force does the strong nuclear force have
Attractive
What effect does the strong nuclear force have on nucleons when they are past a distance of 3 fento metres away from each other.
No effect
What are the three main reason why an atoms nucleus may be unstable
Too much mass, imbalance of protons and too much energy
What type of decay is used if an atoms nucleus has too much mass
Alpha decay
What type of decay is used if an atoms nucleus have an imbalance in protons and neutrons
Beta decay
What type of decay is used if an atoms nucleus has too much energy
Gamma decay
What is an alpha decay particle made up of
Two protons and two neutrons
What are photons
A packet of electromagnetic waves
Do photons have mass or charge
No
What does a particle and its antiparticle have in common
Its mass is identical
What does a particle and its antiparticle not have in common
Every other property apart from mass is opposite
What is annihilation
When a particle and its antiparticle meet
What is released during annihilation
The particles rest energy in the form of photons
What decay happens when an atom is neutron rich and what happens to the neutron
Beta minus decay happens and a neutron turns into a proton
Why during beta minus decay does the beta particles emit different amounts of kinetic energy
Because the neutrino takes away some of the kinetic energy
What is the charge of a neutrino
No charge
What are the 4 main groups of particles
Hadrons, Leptons, Baryons and Mesons
What can both hadrons and leptons feel
Weak nuclear force
What can only hadrons feel
Strong nuclear force
What is an example of a hadron
Proton/ neutron
What is an example of a lepton
Electron
Can hadrons be broken up
Yes, into quarks
Can leptons be broken up
No, they are fundamental
Are baryons and mesons a type of hadron or lepton
They are hadrons
How many quarks are baryons made up of
3 quarks
What is an example of a baryon
Proton/neutron
What is an example of a meson
Pions/kaons
How many quarks are mesons made up of
2 quarks
What is the only stable baryon
Proton
What are muons
A type of lepton
What are the 6 quarks you need to know
Up, down, strange, anti-up, anti-down and anti-strange
What is the quark composition of a proton
uud
What is the quark composition of a neutron
udd
What must a meson contain
One quark and one anti-quark
What type of meson is it if it has a strangeness of 0
Pion
What type of meson is it if it has a strangeness that isn’t 0
Kaon
What happens during beta minus decay
A neutron turns into a proton and a down quark turns into an up quark
What property is sometimes conserved
strangeness
What property is never conserved
Mass
Kaons have what unique property
Strangeness
What is the strangeness of K+
+1
What is the strangeness of K-
-1
