Physics · AQA 7408 · Topic 3.2

Particles and radiation

What atoms are made of, particles and antiparticles, the four forces, quarks and leptons, the photoelectric effect and energy levels.

  • 11 sub-topics
  • Taught in Year 12
  • 112 practice questions
  • 11 animated lessons
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What the specification says

Every sub-topic AQA can examine in this topic, with its reference number from the official specification. The Y12 and Y13 tags show when each sub-topic is usually taught.

  1. 3.2.1 Particles
  2. 3.2.1.1Constituents of the atomY12
  3. 3.2.1.2Stable and unstable nucleiY12
  4. 3.2.1.3Particles, antiparticles and photonsY12
  5. 3.2.1.4Particle interactionsY12
  6. 3.2.1.5Classification of particlesY12
  7. 3.2.1.6Quarks and antiquarksY12
  8. 3.2.1.7Applications of conservation lawsY12
  9. 3.2.2 Electromagnetic radiation and quantum phenomena
  10. 3.2.2.1The photoelectric effectY12
  11. 3.2.2.2Collisions of electrons with atomsY12
  12. 3.2.2.3Energy levels and photon emissionY12
  13. 3.2.2.4Wave-particle dualityY12

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Easy, medium and hard questions from this topic, each with a worked solutions and the mark for every step. All 112 questions in this topic, free, no account needed.

Particles and radiation

Easy

Classification of particles · Year 12 · 4 marks

Particles can be classified as hadrons or leptons.
  1. (a)
    State what distinguishes hadrons from leptons.
    (1)
  2. (b)
    Hadrons are divided into baryons and mesons. Give one example of each.
    (2)
  3. (c)
    State the only stable baryon.
    (1)
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Part (a)1 mark

  1. Hadrons feel the strong interaction; leptons do not.

Part (b)2 marks

  1. Baryon: proton or neutron.
  2. Meson: pion or kaon.

Part (c)1 mark

  1. The proton.

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Waves and the particle nature of light

Medium

The photoelectric effect · Year 12 · 4 marks

Light of wavelength 400 nm falls on a metal surface with work function 2.3 eV.
  1. Calculate the maximum kinetic energy of the emitted electrons, in eV.
    (4)
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  1. Find the energy of one photon. Convert nm to m first.EE=hcλ{}= \dfrac{hc}{\lambda}=6.63×10−34×3.00×1084.00×10−7{}= \dfrac{6.63 \times 10^{-34} \times 3.00 \times 10^{8}}{4.00 \times 10^{-7}}=4.97×10−19 J{}= 4.97 \times 10^{-19}\ \mathrm{J}
  2. Convert the work function to joules so the units match.ϕ\phi=2.3×1.60×10−19{}= 2.3 \times 1.60 \times 10^{-19}=3.68×10−19 J{}= 3.68 \times 10^{-19}\ \mathrm{J}
  3. hf=ϕ+Ek(max⁡)hf = \phi + E_{k(\max)}: the photon's energy pays the work function and the rest becomes kinetic energy.Ek(max⁡)E_{k(\max)}=4.97×10−19{}= 4.97 \times 10^{-19}−3.68×10−19{}- 3.68 \times 10^{-19}=1.29×10−19 J{}= 1.29 \times 10^{-19}\ \mathrm{J}
  4. Divide by 1.60×10−191.60 \times 10^{-19} to convert back to electronvolts.=0.81 eV= 0.81\ \mathrm{eV}

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Nuclear and particle physics

Hard

Conservation laws · Year 12 · 2 marks

Consider p + p → p + p + π⁰.
  1. State whether it is allowed, with reason.
    (2)
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  1. Allowed.
  2. Charge, baryon number and lepton number conserved.

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