May the Force Be With You
What force keeps us on the ground and the planets orbiting the Sun?
Gravity
What is the name of the particle that carries electromagnetic energy, including visible light?
Photon
What are the three main subatomic particles that make up an atom?
Protons, neutrons, electrons
Which part of the electromagnetic spectrum can the human eye detect?
Visible light
What is the highest point of a transverse wave called?
Crest
Which fundamental force is responsible for light, heat and solidity?
Electromagnetism
What force-carrying particles hold quarks together through the strong interaction?
Gluons
Which subatomic particle determines the identity of an element?
Proton (the number of protons)
Which electromagnetic waves have the longest wavelengths and lowest frequencies?
Radio waves
What is the distance between two consecutive crests called?
Wavelength
Which fundamental force holds protons and neutrons together inside an atomic nucleus?
Strong nuclear force
What are the three bosons responsible for carrying the weak nuclear force?
W & Z Bosons
What is the electrical charge of a neutron, and where is it located?
Neutral, in the nucleus
What type of electromagnetic radiation is used in thermal imaging cameras and is commonly associated with heat?
Infrared
What is the name for the number of complete wave cycles passing a point each second?
Frequency
Which fundamental force is responsible for beta radioactive decay and plays a role in nuclear reactions inside stars?
Weak nuclear force
What hypothetical particle is believed to carry the gravitational force in some theories of quantum gravity?
Graviton
An atom contains 8 protons, 9 neutrons, and 8 electrons. What element is it, and what is its mass number?
Oxygen; mass number 17
Arrange these types of radiation from lowest to highest frequency: X-rays, microwaves, visible light, ultraviolet.
Microwaves → Visible light → Ultraviolet → X-rays
What is the difference between a transverse wave and a longitudinal wave?
Transverse waves oscillate perpendicular to their direction of travel; longitudinal waves oscillate parallel to it.
Rank the four fundamental forces from strongest to weakest at the subatomic scale.
Strong nuclear, electromagnetic, weak nuclear, gravity
Why does the weak nuclear force have an extremely short range compared with electromagnetism?
W/Z Bosons are large and slow, photons are massless and small, so they are fast
An atom loses two electrons but keeps the same number of protons and neutrons. What type of particle does it become, and what is its charge?
A positive ion (cation) with a +2 charge
Why are gamma rays generally more dangerous to living cells than radio waves?
Gamma-ray photons have much higher energy and can ionize atoms, damaging cells and DNA.
A wave travels at 24 meters per second and has a frequency of 6 hertz. What is its wavelength?
4 meters (wavelength = speed ÷ frequency)