The Standard Model 3

Question 1

What is Rutherford experiment

Answer 1

• between 1908 and 1913 Ernest Rutherfords team investigated the structure of the atom
• they fired a beam of alpha particles at a thin sheet of gold foil
• around the gold foil they placed a circular detector that would detect the path of the alpha particles

Question 3

What are the results of Rutherfords experiment

Answer 3

• they found that most of the alpha particles passed straight through the foil
• they found that some were deflected slightly off their path
• they found that a very small number of particles bounced straight back

Question 4

What is the atomic number

Answer 4

The number of protons in a atom

Question 5

What is the mass number

Answer 5

The number of protons + neutrons in an atom

Question 6

What happens during alpha decay

Answer 6

During alpha decay an alpha particle is released from the nucleus of an atom and an alpha particle is made up of 2 protons and 2 neutrons

Question 7

What happens during beta decay

Answer 7

During beta decay a neutron becomes a proton and a electron and the electron is ejected from the nucleus

Question 8

What happens during gamma decay

Answer 8

During gamma decay energy is released from the atom and gamma does not affect the mass or atomic number of the atom

Question 9

What is nuclear fission

Answer 9

Fission is when a nucleus with a larger mass number splits into smaller nuclei usually with the release of energy. Fission can either be induced or spontaneous.

Question 10

What is the difference between spontaneous fission and induced fission

Answer 10

• spontaneous fission is random
• induced fission is when a neutron gets fired in to the nucleus reactor to start the process

Question 11

What is nuclear fusion

Answer 11

When 2 nuclei combine to form a nucleus of larger mass number. The nuclei that fuse together are very small such as hydrogen and helium and fusion I the process that powers stars and stars typically fuse hydrogen into helium

Question 12

What are the problems with building fusion reactors

Answer 12

Fusion reactors are under development but to allow fusion to occur temperature of the order of 10 million kelvin are needed. At temperatures of this order a plasma is created that needs to be contained using very powerful magnets. There are major coolant ad containment issues to be overcame