Particles

Question 1

Proton number

Answer 1

The number of protons in the nucleus (hence the number of electrons).

Question 2

Nucleon number

Answer 2

A nucleon is a nuclear particle and is a part of a nucleus so either a proton or a neutron. The Nucleon number is the number of nucleons in a nucleus. Deduct Proton number to obtain Neutrons.

Question 3

Nuclides

Answer 3

A nuclide is a nucleus of a chosen element.

■(A@Z)X

A = Nucleon number (protons + neutrons).

Z = proton number (protons, electrons).

Question 4

Isotopes

Answer 4

The number of protons defines the element. Different numbers of neutrons affect the mass of the element but not its chemical properties. Two nuclides with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons are called isotopes of each other.

Question 5

Electronvolt (eV)

Answer 5

The energy change of an electron when it moves through a potential difference of 1 volt.

Note: It’s called electron-volt but it’s a unit of Energy and Mass.

1 volt = 1J/C and the charge on an electron is 1.6 x 10-19 C
then 1eV = 1.6 x 10-19 Joules (also note E = mc2).

Question 6

Types of β decay

Answer 6

Two types exist, β+ (positron, neutrino) and β- (electron, antineutrino)
electrons and neutrinos are leptons (not baryons).