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Physics Definitions > Particles And Radiation > Flashcards

Particles And Radiation Flashcards

1
Q

What is Alpha Decay?

A

The process of an unstable nucleus emitting an alpha particle (2 protons, 2 neutrons) to become more stable.

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2
Q

What is Annihilation?

A

The process of a particle and its antiparticle colliding and being converted into energy. The energy is released in two photons to conserve momentum.

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3
Q

What is an Antiparticle?

A

All particles have a corresponding antiparticle with the same mass but opposite charge and conservation numbers.

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4
Q

What is a Baryon Number?

A

A quantum number that is conserved in all particle interactions. Baryons have a baryon number of +1 and non-baryons have a baryon number of 0.

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5
Q

What is a Baryon?

A

A class of hadron, that is made up of three quarks. The proton is the only stable baryon.

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6
Q

What is Beta- Decay?

A

The process of a neutron inside a nucleus turning into a proton and emitting a Beta- particle (an electron) and an antineutrino.

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7
Q

What is Beta+ Decay?

A

The process of a proton inside a nucleus turning into a neutron, and emitting a Beta+ particle (a positron) and a neutrino.

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8
Q

What is Electron Diffraction?

A

The spreading of electrons as they pass through a gap similar to the magnitude of their de Broglie wavelength. It is evidence of the wave-like properties of particles.

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9
Q

What is an Electron-Volt?

A

The work done to accelerate an electron through a potential difference of 1V. 1eV is equal to the charge of an electron.

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10
Q

What are Energy Levels?

A

Defined and district energies at which electrons can exist in an atom. An electron cannot exist between energy levels.

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11
Q

What is Excitation?

A

The process of an electron taking in exactly the right quantity of energy to move to a higher energy level.

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12
Q

What is a Gauge Boson?

A

The exchange particles that transmit the four fundamental interactions between particles.

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13
Q

What is the Ground State?

A

The most stable energy level that an electron can exist in.

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14
Q

What are Hadrons?

A

A class of subatomic particles that experiences the strong nuclear interaction.

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15
Q

What is Ionisation?

A

The process of an atom losing an orbital electron and becoming charge.

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16
Q

What is an Isotope?

A

Same number of protons but different number of neutrons.

17
Q

What is Isotopic Data?

A

Data from isotopes that can be used for a purpose, such as carbon dating.

18
Q

What is a Kaon?

A

A type of meson that decays into pions.

19
Q

What is a Lepton Number?

A

A quantum number that is conserved in all particle interactions. Both electron lepton numbers and muon lepton numbers must be conserved.

20
Q

What is a Lepton?

A

A group of elementary subatomic particles, consisting of electrons, muons and neutrinos.

21
Q

What is a Meson?

A

A class of hadron that is made up of a quark and an antiquark pair.

22
Q

What is a Muon?

A

A type of lepton that decays into electrons.

23
Q

What is a Neutrino?

A

A subatomic particle whose existence was hypothesised to maintain the conservation of energy in Beta decay.

24
Q

What is a Nucleon Number? (A)

A

The sum of the number if protons and neutrons in a given nucleus.

25
Q

What is a Nucelon?

A

A proton or neutron.

26
Q

What is Pair Production?

A

The process of a sufficiently high-energy photon converting into a particle and its corresponding antiparticle. To conserve momentum, this usually occurs near a nucleus.

27
Q

What is a Photon?

A

A packet of energy.

28
Q

What is a Pion?

A

A type of meson and the exchange particle for the strong nuclear force.

29
Q

What is a Positron?

A

A positively charged particle that is the antiparticle of an electron.

30
Q

What is the Proton Number? (Z)

A

The number of protons present in the nucleus of a given element.

31
Q

What is the Stopping Potential?

A

The minimum potential difference required to stop the highest kinetic energy electrons from leaving the metal plate in the photoelectric effect.

32
Q

What are Strange Particles?

A

Particles that are produced through the strong interaction but decay through the weak interaction.

33
Q

What is Strangeness?

A

A quantum number that is conserved in strong interactions but not in weak interactions. This reflects that strange particles are always produced in pairs.

34
Q

What is the Strong Nuclear Force?

A

A force that acts between nucleons in a nucleus to keep it stable. It is attractive at distances of up to 3fm anf repulsive at separations less than 0.5fm.

35
Q

What is the Threshold Frequency?

A

The minimum frequency of photons required for photo electrons to be emitted from the surface of a metal plate through the photoelectric effect. It is equal to the metal’s work function divided by Planck’s constant.

36
Q

What is the Work Function?

A

The minimum energy required to remove an electron from a metal’s surface.

Physics Definitions (9 decks)

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