Module 8

Module 8—Nuclear Decay, Energy, and the Standard Model of the Atom

 

Module Glossary

 

activity or decay rate: the number of nuclei in a sample that decays in a given time interval

 

antimatter: a form of matter that has properties opposite to its normal-matter counterpart; an extension of the concept of normal matter that is made up of particles where antimatter is made up of antiparticles

 

All particles have an antiparticle.

 

antineutrino: a tiny subatomic particle with no charge emitted with  in beta decay

 

alpha particle: two protons and two neutrons bound together to form a stable particle identical to a helium nucleus

 

atomic mass: the weighted mean atomic mass number of the element’s natural isotopes

 

This number is given on the periodic table.

 

atomic mass number (A): the number of nucleons in an atom’s nucleus

 

atomic number (Z): the number of protons in the nucleus

 

The atomic number uniquely identifies the element.

 

becquerel (Bq): the unit of radioactivity equal to one decay per second

 

beta particle: an electron emitted by the nucleus when a neutron splits into a proton and electron during the beta decay process

 

binding energy: the net energy required to liberate all of the protons and neutrons in a nucleus (overcome the strong nuclear force)

 

bubble chamber: a device that tracks particles using bubbles in liquefied gas

 

CERN: Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire (world’s largest particle physics laboratory)

 

CERN had the first web server and posted the first page on the World Wide Web. See CERN’s website to see that historic first page.

 

cloud chamber: a device that tracks particles using condensed gas vapours

 

daughter element: the element produced by a decay process

 

fission: when a nucleus with more than 120 nucleons splits into smaller nuclei with greater binding energy per nucleon

 

fundamental particle: a particle that cannot be divided into smaller particles; an elementary particle

 

fusion: when a nucleus with fewer than 60 nucleons combines with another to form a larger nucleus with greater binding energy per nucleon

 

gluon: a mediating particle for the strong nuclear force

 

graviton: a hypothetical mediating particle for the gravitational force

 

half-life: the time it takes for half the radioactive nuclei in a sample to decay

 

isotope: an atom that has the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons and, therefore, a different atomic mass number

 

mediating particle: a virtual particle that carries a fundamental force

 

nucleon: a proton or neutron

 

neutrino: a tiny subatomic particle with no charge emitted with a positron in beta-positive decay

 

neutron: a neutral particle found in the nucleus

 

parent element: the original element in a decay process

 

plasma: ionized gas in which the electrons have been separated from the nucleus

 

positron: the antimatter to an electron

 

It is the same type of particle but has an opposite charge. Unlike electrons, positrons are scarce.

 

proton: a positively charged particle found in all nuclei

 

quark: a fundamental particle in the hadron family

 

standard model: the current theory describing the nature of matter and the fundamental forces

 

transmutation: decay or change into a different element

 

virtual particle: a particle that exists for such a short time that it cannot be detected

 

 

Physics 30 Learn EveryWare © 2009 Alberta Education