Nuclear Physics Basics

10 Questions

What is the composition of an alpha ray?

A helium-3 atom nucleus

Gamma rays are charged particles.

False

What is the name of the quark with a mass of approximately 1.28 GeV/c^2?

down (d)

X-rays are generated ______________________ the nucleus.

outside

Match the types of radiation with their descriptions:

Alpha rays = Helium-3 atom nuclei that escape the nucleus Beta rays = Electrons that escape the nucleus Gamma rays = Electromagnetic waves emitted from the nucleus X-rays = Generated outside the nucleus

What is the primary source of neutrons?

Both A and B

Quarks are a type of radiation.

False

What is the name of the quark with a mass of approximately 2.2 MeV/c^2?

up (u)

The ______________________ model proposes six quarks.

standard

What is the characteristic of gamma rays?

Both B and C

Study Notes

Nuclear Physics Explained

Radiation is produced by radioactive materials, similar to how a light bulb emits light.
Matter is composed of protons, neutrons, and electrons.
Nuclei are the center of atoms, where protons and neutrons reside.

Radioactivity

Radioactivity is the power to emit radiation, which decreases over time as the material decays.
Henri Becquerel discovered radioactivity in uranium in 1896.

Types of Radiation

Alpha radiation: high-energy helium-3 atom nuclei (4 He nucleus) that escape the nucleus.
Beta radiation: high-energy electrons that escape the nucleus.
Gamma radiation: high-energy electromagnetic waves that come out of the nucleus.
X-rays: generated outside the nucleus, similar to gamma rays but with lower energy.
Neutron radiation: generated in the use of nuclear reactors, accelerators, and radio isotopes (radionuclides).

Quarks

Six quarks are proposed in the standard model: up (u), down (d), and four others.
Quarks have distinct properties, including mass, charge, and spin.
The mass of quarks ranges from 2.2 MeV/c² to 173.1 GeV/c².