Particle Physics Homework 1 Total: [20]

Name: _________________________________________________ Class: ________ Date:19/06/2025

1 (a) One of the results of the α-particle scattering experiment is that a very small minority of the
α-particles are scattered through angles greater than 90°.
Name: _________________________________________ Class:_________________
State what may be inferred about the structure of the atom from this Date:
result. _________________

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(b) A hadron has an overall charge of +e, where e is the elementary charge. The hadron contains
three quarks. One of the quarks is a strange (s) quark.

(i) State the charge, in terms of e, of the strange (s) quark.

charge = .......................................................... [1]

(ii) The other two quarks in the hadron have the same charge as each other.

By considering charge, determine a possible type (flavour) of the other two quarks.
Explain your working.

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2 A β – particle from a radioactive source is travelling in a vacuum with kinetic energy 460 eV. The
particle enters a uniform electric field at a right-angle and follows the path shown in Fig. 7.1.

path of β– particle
β– particle
kinetic energy 460 eV
uniform electric field
in the plane of the paper

Fig. 7.1

(a) The direction of the electric field is in the plane of the paper.
On Fig. 7.1, draw an arrow to show the direction of the electric field. [1]

(b) Calculate the speed of the β– particle before it enters the electric field.

speed = ................................................. m s–1 [3]

(c) Other β– particles from the same radioactive source travel outside the electric field along the
same incident path as that shown in Fig. 7.1.

State and briefly explain whether those β– particles will all follow the same path inside the
electric field.

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3 A stationary nucleus X decays to form nucleus Y, as shown by the equation

X Y + β– + ν.

(a) In the above equation, draw a circle around all symbols that represent a lepton. [1]

(b) State the name of the particle represented by the symbol ν.

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(c) Energy is released during the decay process. State the form of the energy that is gained by
nucleus Y.

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(d) By comparing the compositions of X and Y, state and explain whether they are isotopes.

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(e) The quark composition of one nucleon in X is changed during the emission of a β– particle.
Describe this change to the quark composition.

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4 (a) The following particles are used to describe the structure of an atom.

electron neutron proton quark

Underline the fundamental particles in the above list. [1]

(b) The following equation represents the decay of a nucleus of 60Co to form nucleus Q by
27
β– emission.

60Co → ABQ + β– + x
27

(i) Complete Fig. 7.1.

value
A
B

Fig. 7.1
[1]

(ii) State the name of the particle x.

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