Particles and Waves Flashcards
What is the ionisation level?
This is the energy needed by an electron to leave the atom altogether.
What is beta (minus) decay?
Beta (minus) decay is when a neutron decays into a proton releasing an electron and an antineutrino.
What will a stationary charge create?
An electric field
When will a gold leaf electroscope discharge?
- It must be negatively charged
- It must have a zinc plate
- Ultraviolet light of a high enough frequency must be shone on the plate
- When the frequency of the ultraviolet light is above the threshold frequency
What information do you get from a chemical symbol, such as the one shown below?

Top number = Mass Number = number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus.
Bottom Number = Atomic Number = number of protons in the nucleus.
The letters are the chemical symbol which can be found on the periodic table.

A triangular prism can be used to split white light into a spectrum. Why does this occur?
Different frequencies/colours have different refractive indices.
What will increase the amount of diffraction?
- Longer wavelengths diffract more
- Narrower gaps cause more diffraction
When is the energy of the ionisation level?
0 Joules
What type of spectrum is this?

Line absorption spectrum
What is the period of a wave?
The time it takes one wave to pass a point.
What are the names of the 6 types of Quarks?
- Up
- Down
- Charm
- Strange
- Top
- Bottom
In physics what is meant by a field?
It is the region where an object experiences a force.
What is meant by fission?
Fission is when a nucleus of a large mass number splits into two or more nuclei of smaller mass numbers.
What type of spectrum is this?

Continuous spectrum
What is the test for a wave?
If it can cause interference.
When will total internal reflection occur?
- Incident light must arrive at the boundary at an angle greater than the critical angle
- Occurs when light tries to pass from an optically dense material to a less dense material (e.g. from glass to air)
What is the critical angle?
The angle of incidence (within a material) that gives an angle of refraction of ninety degrees.
If a spectral line is bright - what des this tell you?
More electrons are making that energy level transition producing more photons of light with the same frequency.
What will a moving charge experience in a magnetic field?
A force
What is the definition for electric field strength?
The electric force per unit charge acting at a point in the field.
Describe the electric field between a positive charge and a negative charge.
Field lines run from positive towards negative.

What is a fundamental particle?
A fundamental particle is one that cannot be broken down into any sub particles.
What represents a magnetic field going ‘into the page’?
A cross

What will a moving charge create?
- An electric field
- Magnetic field








