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Physics 30: Atomic Physics

eMATH Activity

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Relative Sizes of Subatomic Particles

Purpose:

To gain a better understanding of the relative sizes of subatomic particles.

Background:

Since the electron was discovered at the turn of the 20th century, many more subatomic particles have been found. Table 17.3 on in the Physics textbook is a partial list of some of the particles discovered by the 1960s. 

An electron is a very small particle, but just how small is it. The purpose of this eMath is to graphically represent the sizes of this set of subatomic particles, and to compare the relative size of one particle with another.

Instructions:

1. Open the accompanying Excel spreadsheet.
2. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with the spreadsheet and its functions.  Take note of the "drop-down lists" at the bottom of the spreadsheet where the masses of two particles can be compared.

Analysis:

1.

An electron is a small subatomic particle.  How does its size compare to a neutron?
2. A proton is much bigger than an electron, but not as big as a neutron. Look at the mass of a proton and compare it to a neutron. Can you explain why a neutron is larger than a proton? (Hint: Think of the beta decay process.)
3. Compare the relative size of an electron to a proton. What does this suggest to you about the relative size of a nucleus of an atom to the electron?
4. What is the ratio of the mass of an electron neutrino and an electron? What does this tell you about the ease with which they can be detected?
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