ysssss Flashcards
Why isn’t an atom considered a fundamental particle?
Because it contains smaller particles like protons, neutrons, and electrons.
What discovery changed our understanding of protons and neutrons being elementary?
The discovery that protons and neutrons are made up of even smaller particles called quarks.
What are protons and neutrons made of?
They are made of quarks.
Which particles are now considered truly fundamental?
Quarks and electrons.
What is the main difference between a proton and a neutron?
A proton is positively charged, while a neutron has no charge.
What discovery explained the difference between protons and neutrons?
That both are made up of three fundamental particles called quarks.
What are the two types of quarks mentioned?
Up quark (u) and down quark (d).
What type of electric charges do quarks have?
Fractional charges of +⅔ or -⅓.
What is the basic unit of electric charge based on?
The charge of an electron, which is -1 unit.
How many generations of particles are there in the Standard Model chart?
➤ There are three generations of particles.
What particles make up the first generation?
➤ Quarks (up and down quarks) and leptons (electrons and neutrinos).
What are quarks, and what do they form?
➤ Quarks are fundamental particles that combine to form heavier particles like protons and neutrons.
Do quarks usually exist alone?
➤ No, they typically group together to form particles like protons and neutrons.
What are leptons in the first generation?
➤ Electrons and neutrinos.
What is the combined name for quarks and leptons?
➤ Fermions.
What is unique about neutrinos compared to electrons?
➤ Neutrinos have almost no mass and do not carry an electric charge.
Why are neutrinos unaffected by electromagnetic forces?
➤ Because they are electrically neutral.
Which force affects neutrinos?
➤ The weak sub-atomic force.
What is ordinary matter made of?
➤ First-generation quarks and leptons: up/down quarks, electrons, and neutrinos.
How do the second and third generations of particles differ from the first?
➤ They are similar but have greater mass.
What tends to happen to higher generation particles?
➤ They decay into lower generation particles.
What is a fundamental particle?
It doesn’t have a sub-structure; it cannot be split.
