Particles Flashcards
What are the main constituents of the atom?
*Proton
*Neutron
*Electron
Define specific charge
Specific charge = charge / mass
Specific charge of a proton?
Charge = 1.6x10^-19
Mass 1.67x10^-27
1.6x10^19/1.67x106-27 = 9.58x10^7
What is the letter associated with proton number?
Z
What is a nucleon?
A constituent of the nucleus : a proton or neutron
What letter represents nucleon number?
A
Which is correct: AXZ or ZXA?
AZX
What is an isotope?
Two elements that have the same amount of protons but a different amount of neutrons
State a use of radioactive isotopes
*Carbon dating - The proportion of carbon-14 in a material can be used to determine its age
*Cancer detection
What is a strong nuclear force?
The fundamental force that keeps the nucleus stable by counteracting the electrostatic force of repulsion between protons
Describe range of strong force
*Repulsive up to 0.5fm
*Attractive from 0.5-3fm
*Negligible past 3fm
What makes a nucleus unstable?
Nuclei that have far too many protons, neutrons or both
How do nuclei with too many nucleons decay?
Alpha decay
How do nuclei with too many neutrons decay?
Beta minus decay (udd to uud)
How is the existence of a neutrino hypothesised?
The energy of particles after beta decay was lower than before, a particle with 0 charge and negligible mass must carry away this excess energy, this particle is a neutrino
What is meant by beta minus decay?
When a neutron turns into a proton, the atom releases an electron and an anti-electron neutrino