Particle Physics and Quantum Phenomena

Vocabulary flashcards based on lecture notes about particle physics and quantum phenomena.

Nucleons

Particles that form the nucleus of an atom; protons and neutrons.

Specific Charge

The ratio of a particle's charge to its mass.

Proton Number

The number of protons in an atom, denoted by Z.

Nucleon Number

The number of protons and neutrons in an atom, denoted by A.

Isotopes

Atoms with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.

Carbon-14

A radioactive isotope of carbon used in carbon dating.

Strong Nuclear Force (SNF)

The force that keeps nuclei stable by counteracting the electrostatic repulsion between protons.

Unstable Nuclei

Nuclei with too many protons, neutrons, or both, causing them to decay.

Alpha Decay

Decay that occurs in large nuclei with too many protons and neutrons, decreasing the proton number by 2 and the nucleon number by 4.

Beta-Minus Decay

Decay that occurs in neutron-rich nuclei, increasing the proton number by 1 while the nucleon number stays the same.

Neutrino

A particle hypothesized to account for the conservation of energy during beta-minus decay.

Antiparticle

A particle with the same rest energy and mass as its corresponding particle, but with opposite properties.

Positron

The antiparticle of the electron.

Photons

Packets of electromagnetic radiation that transfer energy and have no mass.

Annihilation

The process where a particle and its antiparticle collide, converting their masses into energy.

PET Scanner

A medical imaging technique using positron-emitting radioisotopes.

Pair Production

The conversion of a photon into an equal amount of matter and antimatter.

Exchange Particles

Particles that carry energy and momentum between particles experiencing a force.

Strong Force

A fundamental force with exchange particle gluon, acts on hadrons, and has a range of 3 x 10^-15 m.

Weak Force

Fundamental force with exchange particles W+, W-, or W0 boson, and acts on all particles with a range of 10^-18 m.

Electromagnetic Force

A fundamental force with exchange particle virtual photon (γ), acts on charged particle, and has an infinite range.

Hadrons

The classification of particles that are not fundamental and experience the Strong Nuclear Force.

Leptons

Fundamental particles that cannot be broken down any further and do not experience the strong nuclear force.

Baryons

Hadrons formed of 3 quarks.

Antibaryons

Hadrons formed of 3 antiquarks.

Mesons

Hadrons formed from a quark and antiquark.

Baryon Number

Shows whether a particle is a baryon (1), antibaryon (-1), or not a baryon (0).

Lepton Number

Shows whether a particle is a lepton (1), antilepton (-1), or not a lepton (0). Includes electron lepton number and muon lepton number.

Strange Particles

Particles produced by the strong nuclear interaction but decay by the weak interaction; must be created in pairs.

Kaons

Strange particles you are expected to known about; decay into pions, through the weak interaction.

Strangeness

A property of particles, which shows that strange particles must be created in pairs.

Quarks

Fundamental particles that make up hadrons.

Work Function

The minimum energy required for electrons to be emitted from the surface of a metal.

Stopping Potential

The potential difference required to stop photoelectrons with the maximum kinetic energy.

Excitation

The gaining of energy by electrons in atoms through collisions with free electrons.

Ionisation

The removal of an electron from an atom entirely if the energy of the free electron is greater than the ionization energy.

Original Energy Level

The ground state of an electron in an atom.

Electron Volt (eV)

The energy gained by one electron when passing through a potential difference of 1 volt.

Line Spectrum

A spectrum containing only discrete values of wavelength; evidence that electrons in atoms can only transition between discrete energy levels.

Line Absorption Spectrum

A spectrum that looks like a continuous spectrum of all possible wavelengths of light, with black lines at certain wavelengths representing possible differences in energy levels.

Wave-Particle Duality

The concept that light and electrons can exhibit both wave and particle properties.