A nucleon is either of the subatomic particles, the neutron or proton, making up the atomic nucleus. Protons (positively charged particles) and neutrons (uncharged particles) act similarly under short-range nuclear forces, both in the manner they are held together in the nucleus and in the manner they are dispersed by each other. This powerful interaction is not at all dependent on electric charge. Unstable atomic particles more massive than nucleons (baryon and hyperons resonances) possess a nucleon among their end decay products. Thus, the nucleon is the baryon ground state. Antineutrons and antiprotons are the antinucleons.
Protons and neutrons are integral parts of an atomic nucleus as they cannot survive independently. Nucleons are subatomic particles that are made of three quarks held together by strong nuclear interaction. The strong force holds together the nucleons in an atomic nucleus. However, when a strong nuclear force is broken, it can generate a huge power, and that power is called nuclear energy, which is identical to what is utilised in nuclear bombs. The nucleons existing in radioactive decay materials such as radium and uranium can be extremely harmful as they can cause alpha radiation in a short period of time.
Nucleon Questions and Answers
1) What is meant by a nucleon?
A nucleon is one of the constituent particles of the atomic nucleus. Every atomic nucleus includes one or more nucleons. The nucleus is enveloped by one or more electrons. Nucleons occupy a tiny space inside the nucleus.
2) What is an atomic nucleus?
It is the dense, tiny region composed of protons and neutrons at the centre of an atom, detected by Ernest Rutherford (1911). It was discovered during the Geiger–Marsden gold foil test.
3) What is a mass number?
The mass number is defined as the total number of protons and neutrons (nucleons).
4) What is a proton?
Proton is a stable subatomic particle with a positive charge equal in value to an electron charge unit and a rest mass of 1.67262 × 10−27 kg, which is about 1,836 times an electron’s mass.
5) What are the main characteristics of nucleons?
A neutron is unstable when it exists on its own. However, it could be found in nuclear reactions and employed in scientific experiments. Both the neutron and proton are made of three quarks. A neutron is composed of two down quarks and one up quark. On the other hand, a proton is made up of two quarks and one down quark. The up quark is the lightest of all the types of quarks, while the down quark is the second lightest. The strong force holds together the nucleons in an atomic nucleus. However, when the strong nuclear force is broken, it can generate a huge power, and that power is called nuclear energy, which is identical to what is utilised in nuclear bombs. The nucleons existing in radioactive decay materials, such as radium and uranium can be extremely harmful as they can cause alpha radiation in a short period of time.
6) What is the binding energy per nucleon?
Nuclei are made of protons and neutrons, but the nucleus’ mass is relatively less than the sum of individual masses of the neutrons and protons. The variation is the value of binding energy per nucleon that binds the nucleons together. This energy can be calculated from the Einstein relation:
Nuclear binding energy = Δmc2
Δm = 0.0304 u for alpha particles and has binding energy equal to 28.3 MeV.
7) Protons and neutrons are integral parts of an atomic nucleus as they cannot survive _________.
Answer: independently
Explanation: Protons and neutrons are integral parts of an atomic nucleus as they cannot survive independently.
8) What is a quark?
Before the 1960s, nucleons were considered the most basic elementary particles, not composed of smaller constituents. They are now termed “composite particles”, composed of three quarks held together by the strong interaction. The interaction between multiple nucleons is known as nuclear force or internucleon interaction, which is also eventually produced by the strong interaction.
9) The nucleons existing in radioactive decay materials can be extremely harmful as they can cause ______ radiation in a short period of time.
Answer: alpha
Explanation: The nucleons existing in radioactive decay materials can be extremely harmful as they can cause alpha radiation in a short period of time.
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Practice Questions
1) What is the mass of a proton?
2) What is the mass of an electron?
3) What are the main components of an atomic nucleus?
4) What is the charge of a neutron?
5) What is the charge of a proton?
6) What is the charge of a nucleus?
7) What is the mass difference between a neutron and a proton?
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