- #1
randomss444
- 17
- 0
Homework Statement
What is the charge of an alpha particle?
Charge of electron = 2.50x10^-21
Homework Equations
The Attempt at a Solution
Would you have to multipy 2.50x10^-21 x 2 to get the charge?
randomss444 said:The Attempt at a Solution
Would you have to multipy 2.50x10^-21 x 2 to get the charge?
Where does that number come from and what are the units? I ask because I thought the charge of an electron is -1.602 x 10^-19 Coulombs.randomss444 said:Charge of electron = 2.50x10^-21
An alpha particle is two protons and two neutrons. Only the protons have charge so...randomss444 said:What is the charge of an alpha particle?
An alpha particle is a type of nuclear radiation that consists of two protons and two neutrons. Therefore, it has a charge of +2.
The charge of an alpha particle is measured in Coulombs (C) or in multiples of the elementary charge (e). The charge of an alpha particle is equivalent to 2 elementary charges (2e).
Yes, the charge of an alpha particle is always +2. This is because the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom is constant and cannot change without altering the identity of the element.
The charge of an alpha particle, 2x2.50x10^-21, is written in scientific notation because it is a very small number. Scientific notation is a more convenient way to write and compare extremely large or small numbers in scientific calculations.
The charge of an alpha particle is relatively large compared to other types of particles. For example, an electron has a charge of -1, and a proton has a charge of +1. This means that an alpha particle has twice the charge of a proton and four times the charge of an electron.