Nuclear physics

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/nuclear-physics

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. Who discovered Nuclear physics?The atomic nucleus was discovered by Ernest Rutherford in 1911
2. What is the key constituents?Protons (positive charge) and neutrons (neutral charge) form the nucleus
3. What is the dominant force?The strong nuclear force binds nucleons together, despite proton repulsion

Nucleon: A collective term for protons and neutrons, the particles found in the atomic nucleus.
Strong Nuclear Force: The fundamental force that binds quarks together and, residually, nucleons in the nucleus.
Radioactive Decay: The spontaneous breakdown of an unstable atomic nucleus into a more stable form, emitting radiation.
Stellar Nucleosynthesis: The process by which stars create heavier atomic nuclei from lighter ones through nuclear fusion.