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A-Level Physics > [AS] Particles and Radiation > Flashcards

[AS] Particles and Radiation Flashcards

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1
Q

What constituents make up the nucleus?

A

Proton, Neutron

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2
Q

What is the charge on a proton?

A

+1.6 x 10^-19 C

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3
Q

What is the charge on a neutron?

A

None

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4
Q

What is the charge on an electron?

A

-1.6 x 10^-19 C

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5
Q

What is specific charge referred to as in the formulae booklet?

A

Charge-to-mass ratio

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6
Q

In AZX notation, what does X refer to?

A

The element

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7
Q

In AZX notation, what does Z refer to?

A

Proton number

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8
Q

In AZX notation, what does A refer to?

A

Nucleon number

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9
Q

What is an isotope?

A

A form of an atom with the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons

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10
Q

What are the four fundamental forces?

A

Gravity
Electromagnetic
Strong Nuclear
Weak Nuclear

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11
Q

What property of a nucleus necessitates the existence of the Strong Nuclear force?

A

Protons in a nucleus are positively charged; they should be repelled due to the Electromagnetic force

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12
Q

Up to what range is the strong nuclear force attractive?

A

3 fm

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13
Q

Closer than what range is the strong nuclear force repulsive?

A

0.5 fm

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14
Q

How much is a femtometer?

A

1 x 10^-15m

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15
Q

What is the proton number above which a nuclei becomes unstable and radioactive?

A

83

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16
Q

An alpha particle is the same as what?

A

A helium nucleus

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17
Q

A beta-minus particle is the same as what?

A

A high-speed electron

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18
Q

Other than a beta-minus particle, what else is emitted in beta-minus decay?

A

Electron-Antineutrino

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19
Q

What is a gamma ray?

A

A photon of electromagnetic radiation

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20
Q

Why was the presence of the neutrino first hypothesised?

A

Conservation of energy in beta decay

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21
Q

What is the order of the electromagnetic spectrum, in increasing frequency?

A

Radio, microwave, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-ray, gamma ray

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22
Q

What properties are the same for a particle-antiparticle pair?

A

Mass, rest energy

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23
Q

What property is opposite for a particle-antiparticle pair?

A

Charge

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24
Q

What is pair production?

A

A photon with enough energy turns into a particle and an antiparticle

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25
Why are particle tracks in pair production curved?
There’s usually a magnetic field present in experiments, and they have opposite charges
26
What is the only type of photon with enough energy for pair production?
Gamma ray photon
27
What pair is usually created in pair production, an why?
Electron-positron, because they have relatively low mass
28
What is the minimum energy for a photon to undergo pair production equal to?
Total rest energy of the particles produced (2E0)
29
What happens when a particle meets its antiparticle?
Annihilation
30
How long to antiparticles typically exist for?
A fraction of a second
31
What do you multiply eV by to get Joules?
1.6 x 10^-19
32
What do you multiply MeV by to get Joules?
1.6 x 10^-13
33
What are exchange particles called?
Gauge bosons
34
What is an exchange particle?
The exchange particle is the force carrier for a given force
35
What particles are affected by the electromagnetic force?
Charged particles
36
What is the gauge boson for the electromagnetic force?
Virtual photon
37
What particles are affected by the weak nuclear force?
All particles
38
What is the gauge boson for the weak nuclear force?
W^+ and W^-
39
What is the gauge boson for the strong nuclear force
Pions (or gluons)
40
What is the relationship between the mass of a gauge boson and the range of the force?
The larger the mass of the gauge boson, the shorter the range of the force
41
What is the mass of the W-boson compared to a proton?
About 100 times larger
42
What is the mass of a photon, and the range of the force?
Zero mass; infinite range
43
How do you draw the exchange particle in Feynman diagrams?
Wiggly line
44
How do you draw regular particles in a Feynman diagram?
Straight line
45
What happens when two particles with equal charges get close to each-other?
They repel
46
What does a W-boson do to charge in a Feynman diagram?
Carries charge from one side to the other
47
In a Feynman diagram, a W- particle going to the left has the same effect as what?
A W+ particle going to the right
48
In a Feynman diagram, a W+ particle going to the left has the same effect as what?
A W- particle going to the right
49
In a Feynman diagram, a W+ particle going to the right has the same effect as what?
A W- particle going to the left
50
What does a neutron become in beta-minus decay?
Proton
51
What does a proton become in beta+ decay?
Neutron
52
What is the exchange particle for beta-minus decay?
W- boson
53
What is the exchange particle for beta+ decay?
W+ boson
54
What are the products of beta+ decay?
Neutron, positron, electron-neutrino
55
What are the products of beta-minus decay?
Proton, electron, electron-antineutrino
56
In electron capture, what is the angle of the exchange particle?
Horizontal
57
In electromagnetic repulsion, what is the angle of the exchange particle?
Horizontal
58
In beta decay, what is the angle of the exchange particle?
Diagonally upwards (towards the right)
59
What is the exchange particle for electron capture?
W+ boson
60
What are the factors of electron capture?
Proton and electron
61
What are the products of electron capture?
Neutron and electron-neutrino
62
What interaction is responsible for electron capture?
Weak nuclear
63
What interaction is responsible for beta decay?
Weak nuclear
64
What interaction is responsible for the repulsion of equally-charged particles?
Electromagnetic force
65
What is about 100 times larger than a proton?
A W- boson
66
What is about 100 time smaller than a W- boson?
Proton
67
What particles feel the strong nuclear force?
Hadrons (baryons and mesons)
68
Do hadrons feel the strong nuclear force?
Yes
69
Do leptons feel the strong nuclear force?
No
70
In what sized nuclei does alpha emission occur?
Very big | e.g. uranium, radium
71
Why does alpha emission occur?
Nuclei is unstable because its too massive for the strong nuclear force
72
What is the range of an alpha particle?
Only a few cm in air
73
How can you observe the range of an alpha particle?
Tracks left in a cloud chamber | Geiger counter
74
Why does beta decay occur?
Isotope is unstable due to being "neutron-rich"
75
What is annihilation?
A particle and its antiparticle meet and all the mass gets turned back into energy
76
What are the products of annihilation?
Two gamma ray photons
77
Which type of electromagnetic radiation has the highest frequency?
Gamma rays
78
Which type of electromagnetic radiation has the lowest frequency?
Radio waves
79
Which type of electromagnetic radiation has the largest wavelength?
Radio waves
80
Which type of electromagnetic radiation has the smallest wavelength?
Gamma rays
81
What is the Gauge boson for Electromagnetic repulsion?
Virtual photon
82
What do neutrons decay to?
Protons

A-Level Physics (13 decks)

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