Particle Physics Flashcards
Particle physics
The branch of physics that is concerned with fundamental particles and their interactions
Big Bang
A theoretical model in which all the universe, space, matter, energy end time started a huge explosion from a tiny size
Cosmic Rays
High energy particles (mainly protons) that originate in distant parts of the universe(probably explosions of stars). They usually decay high in the earth’s atmosphere
Linear accelerator
A device that accelerates charge particles in straight lines
Synchrotron
A circular accelerator for charged particles
Strong nuclear force
The force that binds protons and neutrons in nuclei
Weak nuclear force
The force responsible for radioactive beta decay
Antiparticle
A particle that has the same mass as the corresponding particle but opposite values of all other properties such as charge. The anti particle the corresponds to a fundamental particle is also fundamental
Antimatter
Each particle has its own antiparticle which is identical in mass but opposite in charge
Pair production
The creation of a particle and its antiparticle
Pair annihilation
When a particle and it’s antipartical niece and they annihilate each other. They convert all their mass into energy, two photons formed
Quark
A type of particle that is the fundamental building block of hadrons
Lepton
A fundamental particle that is not fail the strong nuclear force but does feel the eritrey. There are believed to be three types of lepton: the electron, the muon and the tau
Hadrons
Subatomic particles that experience all four of the fundamental forces
Mesons
A hadron that is made from a quark-antiquark pair
