Probing deep into matter

Question 1

What is a positron

Answer 1

A positron is a positively charged electron

Question 2

How are positrons emitted

Answer 2

Positrons are emitted by proton-rich nuclei as a result of a proton changing to a neutron in the nucleus, together with the emission of a neutrino.

Question 3

What are two types of subatomic particles

Answer 3

Leptons

Hadrons

Question 4

What is a lepton

Answer 4

Particles not affected by the strong interaction, including electrons, positrons, neutrinos and antineutrinos

Question 5

What is a hadron

Answer 5

Composite particles, made of quarks, held together by the exchange of gluons (strong interaction).

Question 6

What do protons and neutrons contain

Answer 6

Three quarks

Question 7

What do intermediate particles such as pions contain

Answer 7

one quark and one antiquark

Question 8

What is a boson

Answer 8

A boson is the general name given to particles (such as photons and gluons) which carry the interaction between other particles. Bosons have integer spin, and do not obey the exclusion principle. (Some particles made of fermions eg. certain nuclei - also have integer spin)

Question 9

What is a fermion

Answer 9

A fermion is the general name given to particles (such as electrons and photons) which function as particles of matter.