How can the nucleous of an atom under go changes ( neutron changing its charge )
Please read the full passage.It will defanitely help you.
There are lots of changes happening inside a nucleus all the time… it is a very dynamic place in its own way! Let me try to break down some of the major ones and perhaps others will describe some others that I miss.
First, there is constant change in the nucleus due to the strong nuclear force. This not only holds the quarks in the proton and neutrons together, but in effect shuffles the quarks around, which holds these particles together in the nucleus in the first place. One (of several) ways to understand this is as an exchange of virtual pions, where a proton or neutron will interact with another nucleon. This causes protons to attract protons, neutrons to attract neutrons, and protons to attract neutrons. It even changes a proton into a neutron while changing a neutron into a proton, so the two switch identities. If protons were really coloured red (they aren’t!) and neutrons white (they aren’t!) then if you could see them in the nucleus (you can’t) and they were distinct particles (they [mostly] aren’t) then they would be twinkling red and white as they swapped roles.
Second, in spite of this stablizing influence, sometimes a decay occurs. This depends a lot on the kind of nucleus! One common decay happens when a neutron turns into a proton + and electron + an antineutrino
Third, in larger nuclei, a different decay can happen. This occurs when a tight clump of nucleons (2 p + 2 n, AKA an α particle) tunnels out of the nucleus. This mix of particles is incredibly tightly bound and they often act like one particle even inside the nucleus. To this is another change that results in an alpha suddenly escaping and changing the nucleus.
Yet another change that happens is that a proton or neutron can release electromagnetic energy. This happens when a proton or neutron drops in energy level inside the nucleus. Just as the electrons on the outside can drop in level and give off a photon (sometimes of visible light), the protons or neutrons inside can drop in level if they are at a higher one and when they do they give off a photon with about a million times as much energy, a gamma (γγ).
Finally, for now, a very few nuclei are really unstable. They vibrate like jello or drops of water in zero-g (in fact the description of this is called the water drop model!) Some vibrate so hard that they rip themselves apart, a process called fission. So a few nuclei wobble and even split apart.
I am sure I have missed some important dynamic things happening, and hope to see some good answers to what seems like a simple question… but of course in realms different from our experience nothing ever seems simple.
Please read the full passage.It will defanitely help you.
There are lots of changes happening inside a nucleus all the time… it is a very dynamic place in its own way! Let me try to break down some of the major ones and perhaps others will describe some others that I miss.
First, there is constant change in the nucleus due to the strong nuclear force. This not only holds the quarks in the proton and neutrons together, but in effect shuffles the quarks around, which holds these particles together in the nucleus in the first place. One (of several) ways to understand this is as an exchange of virtual pions, where a proton or neutron will interact with another nucleon. This causes protons to attract protons, neutrons to attract neutrons, and protons to attract neutrons. It even changes a proton into a neutron while changing a neutron into a proton, so the two switch identities. If protons were really coloured red (they aren’t!) and neutrons white (they aren’t!) then if you could see them in the nucleus (you can’t) and they were distinct particles (they [mostly] aren’t) then they would be twinkling red and white as they swapped roles.
Second, in spite of this stablizing influence, sometimes a decay occurs. This depends a lot on the kind of nucleus! One common decay happens when a neutron turns into a proton + and electron + an antineutrino
Third, in larger nuclei, a different decay can happen. This occurs when a tight clump of nucleons (2 p + 2 n, AKA an α particle) tunnels out of the nucleus. This mix of particles is incredibly tightly bound and they often act like one particle even inside the nucleus. To this is another change that results in an alpha suddenly escaping and changing the nucleus.
Yet another change that happens is that a proton or neutron can release electromagnetic energy. This happens when a proton or neutron drops in energy level inside the nucleus. Just as the electrons on the outside can drop in level and give off a photon (sometimes of visible light), the protons or neutrons inside can drop in level if they are at a higher one and when they do they give off a photon with about a million times as much energy, a gamma (γγ).
Finally, for now, a very few nuclei are really unstable. They vibrate like jello or drops of water in zero-g (in fact the description of this is called the water drop model!) Some vibrate so hard that they rip themselves apart, a process called fission. So a few nuclei wobble and even split apart.
I am sure I have missed some important dynamic things happening, and hope to see some good answers to what seems like a simple question… but of course in realms different from our experience nothing ever seems simple.
