Which statement about alpha particles is correct?
A They are fast moving electrons - OCR Gateway - GCSE Physics - Question 2 - 2020 - Paper 2
Question 2
Which statement about alpha particles is correct?
A They are fast moving electrons.
B They are less penetrating than beta particles.
C They can pass through lead.... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Which statement about alpha particles is correct?
A They are fast moving electrons - OCR Gateway - GCSE Physics - Question 2 - 2020 - Paper 2
Step 1
They are fast moving electrons.
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Answer
This statement is incorrect. Alpha particles are not electrons; they are helium nuclei, consisting of two protons and two neutrons.
Step 2
They are less penetrating than beta particles.
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Answer
This statement is correct. Alpha particles have a higher mass and charge, which causes them to lose energy quickly and makes them less penetrating compared to beta particles.
Step 3
They can pass through lead.
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Answer
This statement is incorrect. Alpha particles have low penetrating power and cannot pass through materials like lead.
Step 4
They have less mass than beta particles.
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Answer
This statement is incorrect. Alpha particles are more massive than beta particles, which are essentially electrons.
