4.5 - Nuclear and Particle Physics

Understand what is meant by nucleon number (mass number) and proton number (atomic number).

Use - nucleon number and proton number to connect the rule to the data and decision in the question.

This matters because - nucleon number and proton number determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply - nucleon number and proton number to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: - Nucleon number and proton number is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

Understand how large-angle alpha particle scattering gives evidence for a nuclear model of the atom and how our understanding of atomic structure has changed over time.

Use - alpha scattering and the nuclear atom to connect the rule to the data and decision in the question.

This matters because - alpha scattering and the nuclear atom determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply - alpha scattering and the nuclear atom to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: - Alpha scattering and the nuclear atom is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

Understand that electrons are released in the process of thermionic emission and how they can be accelerated by electric and magnetic fields.

Use - thermionic emission and acceleration to connect the rule to the data and decision in the question.

This matters because - thermionic emission and acceleration determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply - thermionic emission and acceleration to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: - Thermionic emission and acceleration is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

Understand the role of electric and magnetic fields in particle accelerators, including linacs and cyclotrons, and in detectors through ionisation and deflection.

Use - fields in particle accelerators and detectors to connect the rule to the data and decision in the question.

This matters because - fields in particle accelerators and detectors determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply - fields in particle accelerators and detectors to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: - Fields in particle accelerators and detectors is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

Derive and use r = mv/(BQ) for the radius of a charged particle moving perpendicular to a magnetic field.

Use - charged-particle radius in a magnetic field to connect the rule to the data and decision in the question.

This matters because - charged-particle radius in a magnetic field determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply - charged-particle radius in a magnetic field to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: - Charged-particle radius in a magnetic field is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

Be able to apply conservation of charge, energy and momentum to interactions between particles and interpret particle tracks.

Use - particle interaction conservation laws to connect the rule to the data and decision in the question.

This matters because - particle interaction conservation laws determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply - particle interaction conservation laws to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: - Particle interaction conservation laws is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

Understand why high energies are required to investigate the structure of nucleons.

Use - high energies and nucleon structure to connect the rule to the data and decision in the question.

This matters because - high energies and nucleon structure determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply - high energies and nucleon structure to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: - High energies and nucleon structure is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

Be able to use the equation ∆E = c2∆m in situations involving the creation and annihilation of matter and antimatter particles.

Use - mass-energy equivalence to connect the rule to the data and decision in the question.

This matters because - mass-energy equivalence determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply - mass-energy equivalence to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: - Mass-energy equivalence is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

Be able to use MeV and GeV (energy) and MeV/c2, GeV/c2 (mass) and convert between these and SI units.

Use - particle energy and mass units to connect the rule to the data and decision in the question.

This matters because - particle energy and mass units determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply - particle energy and mass units to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: - Particle energy and mass units is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

Understand situations in which the relativistic increase in particle lifetime is significant (use of relativistic equations not required).

Use - relativistic lifetime increase to connect the rule to the data and decision in the question.

This matters because - relativistic lifetime increase determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply - relativistic lifetime increase to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: - Relativistic lifetime increase is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

Know that in the standard quark-lepton model particles can be classified as: baryons (e.g. neutrons and protons), which are made from three quarks mesons (e.g. pions), which are made from a quark and an antiquark leptons (e.g. electrons and neutrinos), which are fundamental particles photons and that the symmetry of the model predicted the top quark.

Use - standard quark-lepton model to connect the rule to the data and decision in the question.

This matters because - standard quark-lepton model determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply - standard quark-lepton model to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: - Standard quark-lepton model is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

Know that every particle has a corresponding antiparticle and be able to use the properties of a particle to deduce the properties of its antiparticle and vice versa.

Use - particles and antiparticles to connect the rule to the data and decision in the question.

This matters because - particles and antiparticles determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply - particles and antiparticles to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: - Particles and antiparticles is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

Understand how to use laws of conservation of charge, baryon number and lepton number to determine whether a particle interaction is possible.

Use - charge, baryon and lepton number conservation to connect the rule to the data and decision in the question.

This matters because - charge, baryon and lepton number conservation determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply - charge, baryon and lepton number conservation to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: - Charge, baryon and lepton number conservation is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.

Be able to write and interpret particle equations given the relevant particle symbols.

Use - particle equations to connect the rule to the data and decision in the question.

This matters because - particle equations determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply - particle equations to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: use the formula and units given in the question, show the substitution and interpret the result; the calculation alone is not the conclusion.