Fundamental particles
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What are the six flavours (types) of quarks?
The six flavours of quarks are: up, down, strange, charm, top, and bottom. These are fundamental particles.
What is the charge of an up quark, and what is the charge of its corresponding antiquark?
An up quark has a charge of +2/3 e. An anti-up quark has a charge of -2/3 e.
Describe the quark composition of a proton and a neutron.
A proton consists of two up quarks and one down quark (uud). A neutron consists of one up quark and two down quarks (udd).
What distinguishes a baryon from a meson in terms of quark composition?
A baryon is a hadron consisting of three quarks (qqq). A meson is a hadron consisting of one quark and one antiquark (q anti-q).
Describe the change in quark composition during β- decay.
During β- decay, a neutron (udd) converts into a proton (uud). One down quark changes into an up quark, emitting an electron and an antineutrino: d → u + e- + anti-νe.
Describe the change in quark composition during β+ decay.
During β+ decay, a proton (uud) converts into a neutron (udd). One up quark changes into a down quark, emitting a positron and a neutrino: u → d + e+ + νe.
Name two fundamental particles that are classified as leptons.
Electrons and neutrinos are examples of fundamental particles called leptons. They are not composed of quarks.
Are protons and neutrons fundamental particles? Explain why or why not.
Protons and neutrons are *not* fundamental particles. They are composite particles made of quarks (protons = uud, neutrons = udd). Fundamental particles are not made of smaller constituents.
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