This question is about fundamental interactions.

(a) State an exchange particle for

(i) the weak interaction.

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(ii) the electromagnetic interaction.

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(b) Comment, with reference to the mass of the exchange particles, on the range of the weak and
electromagnetic interactions.

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................
(2)

(c) Describe the process represented by the Feynman diagram below.

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................
(1)

(d) State what is meant by a virtual particle.

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................
(1)

(e) Explain how the Heisenberg uncertainty principle for energy and time applies to the interaction in
(c).
 ......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................
(2)

(f) The uncertainty in the time for the electromagnetic interaction between two electrons is 1.6 × 10–16
s. Determine the uncertainty in the energy of the virtual photon.

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 10 marks)

(a) (i) W+/W–/Z0 (boson); 1

Do not insist on superscripts.
(ii) photon / γ; 1
(b) range of interaction is inversely proportional to mass of exchange
h
particle / range of interaction is given by with symbols defined;
4πmc
bosons have mass, photons do not, hence range of
electromagnetic interaction is infinite, range of weak interaction
is finite / OWTTE; 2
(c) electromagnetic interaction between two electrons / electron-electron
scattering / collision of electron with electron; 1
(d) a particle that appears as an intermediate particle in a Feynman
diagram / a particle that is not (directly) observed / (temporarily)
violates energy/momentum conservation; 1
h
(e) ∆E∆t ≥ with symbols defined;
4π
virtual photon can exist, temporarily breaching energy
conservation, for a time that depends on its energy; 2
h
(f) ∆E = ;
4πt
 6.6  10 34 
  = 3.3 × 10–19 J; 2
 4π  1.6  10 16 
 

This question is about mesons.

(a) State what is meant by an exchange particle.

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................
(1)

(b) In 1935, the physicist Hideki Yukawa predicted that the strong interaction between nucleons was
mediated by particles called mesons. Given that the range of the strong interaction is
approximately 1.5 × 10–15 m, calculate a possible value for the rest mass of a meson.
 ......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................
(2)

(c) A meson called the pion was detected in cosmic ray reactions in 1947 by Powell and Occhialini.
The pion comes in three possible charge states: π+, π– and π0 The Feynman diagram below
represents a possible reaction in which a pion participates.

State and explain whether the meson produced is a π+, π– or a π0.

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................
(2)

(d) State the possible spin numbers of mesons and explain your answer.

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

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......................................................................................................................................
(3)

(e) Explain why, according to the quark model, it is not possible for a particle to consist of two up
quarks only.

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 10 marks)
(a) a particle that mediates/carries/transmits one of the fundamental
forces / a particle that is exchanged between two particles
when undergoing one of the fundamental interactions / OWTTE; 1
h 6.63 10 34
(b) R≈ m
4πmc 4π 1.5 10 15  3 10 8
≈ 1.2 × 10–28 kg; 2
(c) π+;
from conservation of charge at either vertex, the pion must have charge of +1; 2
(d) 0 or 1;
1
mesons consist o one quark and one anti-quark (which have spin  );
2
1 1
the spins can be parallel (giving 1) or antiparallel (giving 0) /  =1
2 2
1 1
and  = 0 / OWTTE; 3
2 2
(e) all hadrons are colourless;
not possible for two quarks to cancel out colour / OWTTE;
or
particle with two up quarks would have baryon number of 2/3;
not possible as baryon number needs to be –1, 0 or 1 / OWTTE;
or
4
4 particle with two up quarks would have charge + ;
3
not possible as charge has to be an integer / a whole number (or zero); 2

This question is about quarks.

The table below gives the electric charge of the three lightest quarks in terms of e, the charge of the
proton.

up down strange
Quark flavour
u d s
2 1 1
Electric charge / e  
3 3 3

(a) Using the data in the table, determine the

(i) quark content of a meson with charge +1 and strangeness 0 and that of a baryon with charge
–1 and strangeness –3.

Meson: ..............................................................................................................

Baryon: .............................................................................................................
(2)

(ii) possible spin values of the meson in (a)(i).

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(b) State the Pauli exclusion principle.

......................................................................................................................................
 ......................................................................................................................................
(1)

3
(c) Explain how the baryon with quark content uuu and spin does not violate the Pauli exclusion
2
principle.

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................
(1)

(d) In the Feynman diagram shown a blue down quark emits a gluon and produces a red quark.

Deduce the

(i) quark flavour (type) of the produced quark.

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(ii) colour quantum numbers of the emitted gluon.

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(e) The positive kaon K+ (quark content u s ) decays into an anti-muon and a neutrino according to the
reaction below.

K+ → µ+ + ν

Explain how it may be deduced that this decay is a weak interaction process.

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................
(1)

(f) The diagram shows three of the interaction vertices for the weak interaction.
 Using the appropriate vertex, draw a Feynman diagram for the decay K+ → µ+ + ν labelling all
particles involved.
(3)
(Total 11 marks)

(a) (i) meson: u d ;

baryon: sss; 2
(ii) 0 or 1 or –1; 1
(b) two identical fermions cannot occupy the same quantum state; 1
(c) (the three quarks are identical because they also have the same
spin in this baryon and so) are distinguished by their three different
colour quantum numbers; 1
(d) (i) down; 1
(ii) blue-antired / blue-cyan; 1
(e) violates strangeness conservation which is a property of only the
weak interaction; 1
(f)

correct topology as shown above, including arrows;

intermediate particle labelled as W+;
other four particles u, s , μ, vμ labelled at correct position; 3

This question is about leptons and mesons.

(a) Leptons are a class of elementary particles and each lepton has its own antiparticle. State what is
meant by an

(i) elementary particle.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(ii) antiparticle of a lepton.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(b) The electron is a lepton and its antiparticle is the positron. The following reaction can take place
between an electron and positron.

e– + e+ → γ + γ
 Sketch the Feynman diagram for this reaction and identify on your diagram any virtual particles.

a) (i) a particle that cannot be made from any smaller constituents/particles; 1

(ii) has the same rest mass (and spin) as the lepton but opposite
charge (and opposite lepton number); 1
(b)

Award [1] for each correct section of the diagram.

e– correct direction and γ;
e+ correct direction and γ;
virtual electron/positron; 3
Accept all three time orderings.
(c) (i) u d / up and anti-down; 1
(ii) baryon number is not conserved / quarks are not conserved; 1
(d) two identical particles that have half-integer spin/fermions cannot
occupy the same quantum state; 1
(e) quarks are subject to the Pauli principle;
the introduction of colour ensures that the principle is not violated; 2

This question is about fundamental interactions.

The diagram below shows an interaction vertex of the weak interaction.

(a) (i) Draw a Feynman diagram, for the process e– + e+ → µ– + µ+ using the information given in
the diagram above.
 (1)

(ii) Identify the virtual particle in the Feynman diagram that you drew in (a)(i).

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(b) The closest distance between the electron-positron pair and the muon-antimuon pair in the reaction
e– + e+ → µ– + µ+ is approximately 9 × 10–19 m.

Use this information to estimate the mass of the virtual particle in (a)(ii).

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................
(3)
(Total 5 marks)

(a) (i)

1
Award [0] if arrow directions are not consistent with labels.
(ii) Z0; 1
(b) realization that the distance 9 × 10–19 m is the range of the interaction;
 h  6.63 10 34
m=   ;
 4Rc  4  9 10 19  3 10 8
m = 1.95 × 10–25 ≈ 2 × 10–25 kg or 1 × 102 Ge Vc–2; 3

This question is about fundamental interactions.

The diagram below shows two fundamental interaction vertices, one for the electromagnetic and the other
for the weak interactions.
(a) Explain why in both vertices the incoming and the outgoing charged fermions above must have the
same electric charge.

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................
(2)

(b) The process e– + e+ → µ– + µ+ occurs mostly via the electromagnetic interaction and less
frequently via the weak interaction.

Draw a Feynman diagram for the process e– + e+ → µ– + µ+ according to

(i) the electromagnetic interaction.

(1)

(ii) the weak interaction.

(1)

(iii) Identify the virtual particles in each of the Feynman diagrams that you drew in (i) and (ii).

Virtual particle in (i): ........................................................................................

Virtual particle in (ii): .......................................................................................

(1)

(c) State one reason why the process e– + e+ → µ– + µ+ is more likely to involve the electromagnetic
interaction rather than the weak interaction.

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................
(1)

(d) Electrons are accelerated to a total energy E and then collide with stationary positrons.

Determine the minimum total energy E of the electron for the reaction e– + e+ → µ– + µ+ to take
place.
 Electron rest mass = 0.511 MeV c–2.
Muon rest mass = 105 MeV c–2.

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......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................
(3)
(Total 9 marks)

(a) electric charge must be conserved at each vertex;

and both the photon and the Z are neutral; 2
(b) (i)

1
(ii)

1
Award [0] if arrow directions are not consistent with labels.
(iii) virtual particle in (i): photon;
virtual particle in (ii): Z; 1
need both correct to award the mark
(c) because the strength of the electromagnetic interaction is not the
same/is greater than the strength of the weak interaction;
or
the weak interaction diagram contains a very heavy intermediate
particle as opposed to a massless particle in the electromagnetic
interaction; 1
 (d) the energy needed to create the muons at rest is 2 × 105 = 210 MeV;
2102 =2 ×0.511× E + 2 × 0.5112;
giving E = 43 GeV; 3
[9]

This question is about fundamental interactions and elementary particles.

(a) In the table identify the exchange particle(s) associated with the two fundamental interactions
given.

Interaction Exchange particle(s)

Electro-weak
Strong
(2)

(b) State why the exchange particles are known as elementary particles.

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................
(1)

(c) An exchange particle associated with the weak interaction has a mass of about 90 GeVc–2.
Estimate the life-time of the particle.

......................................................................................................................................

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......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................
(3)

(d) The diagram is a Feynman diagram that represents the strong interaction between quarks.

(i) Identify the exchange particle X.

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(ii) Explain why the quarks have a colour associated with them.

...........................................................................................................................
 ...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 9 marks)

(a)
Interaction Exchange particle(s)
Electro-weak photon, W±, Z0;
Strong gluon;

All particles needed for electro-weak. 2

(b) they have no internal structure / not made out of smaller particles /
cannot be divided into smaller particles; 1
h
(c) (i) ∆t = ;
4πE
6.6 10 34
= ;
4  3.14  90 10 9 1.6 10 19
≈ 4 × 10–27 s; 3
 19 1 16 
m =  90 10 1.6 10  10  = 1.6 × 10–25 kg;
9
(ii)
 9 
h
substitute in R ≈ to get R ≈ 10–18 m; 2
4πmc
(d) (i) (green-antiblue) gluon; 1
1
(ii) so that three particles/quarks (with spin ) can exist in the same state;
2
and not violate the Pauli exclusion principle; 2

This question is about fundamental interactions.

(a) The Feynman diagram below represents a – decay via the weak interaction process.

The exchange particle in this weak interaction is a virtual particle.

(i) State what is meant by a virtual particle.

.........................................................................................................................

.........................................................................................................................
(1)
 (ii) Determine whether the virtual particle in the process represented by the Feynman diagram is
a W+, a W– or a Z0 boson.

.........................................................................................................................
(2)

(b) The order of magnitude of the mass of the W and Z0 bosons is 100 GeV c–2. Estimate the range of
the weak interaction.

...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................

...................................................................................................................................
(3)
(a) (i) a particle that appears as an intermediate particle in a Feynman
diagram / a particle that is not observed and may violate energy
and momentum conservation at a vertex; 1
(ii) W ;
applying charge conservation at either vertex;
eg  13  23  x  x   1 or x = 1 + 0 = 1 2
(b) conversion of mass into kg
100 10 9 1.6 10 19
100 GeVc 2  1.78 10 25 kg ;
9 1016

6.6310 34
correct substitution in R 

4 1.78 10 25 3108
;
 
to get 9.9  1019 m  1018 m; 3

This question is about quarks.

The quark content of a π+ meson includes an up quark.

The Feynman diagram represents the decay of a π+ meson.

(a) Identify the particles labelled A and B.

A: .................................................................................................................................

B: .................................................................................................................................
(2)

(b) State, with reference to their properties, two differences between a photon and a W boson.

1. ..................................................................................................................................
 ......................................................................................................................................

2. ..................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................
(2)

(c) The approximate range of the weak interaction is 10–18 m. Determine, in kg, the likely mass of the
W boson.

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 6 marks)

(a) A: π+ meson;
B: antimuon neutrino; 2
(b) rest mass is non-zero for W, zero for photon;
range of photon is infinite, not for W;
photon carries electromagnetic force, W weak force;
photon is uncharged, W is charged; 2 max
6.63 10 34
(c) m= ;
4π 10 18  3 10 8
= 1.76 × 10–25 kg; 2

This question is about strangeness.

(a) Outline two properties of strangeness.

1. ..................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

2. ..................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................
(2)

(b) The following particle interaction is proposed.

p + π– → K– + π+

In this interaction, charge is conserved.

State, in terms of baryon and strangeness conservation, whether the interaction is possible.

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................
 ......................................................................................................................................
(2)
(a) property that is conserved in strong nuclear force interaction;
property not (always) conserved in weak/electroweak force; 2
(b) baryon (1 + 0 → 0 + 0) not conserved and strangeness
(0 + 0 → –1 + 0) not conserved;
so interaction not possible; 2

This question is about strangeness.

(a) Outline two properties of strangeness.

1. ..................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

2. ..................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................
(2)

(b) The following particle interaction is proposed.

p + π– → K– + π+

In this interaction, charge is conserved.

State, in terms of baryon and strangeness conservation, whether the interaction is possible.

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................
(2)
(a) property that is conserved in strong nuclear force interaction;
property not (always) conserved in weak/electroweak force; 2
(b) baryon (1 + 0 → 0 + 0) not conserved and strangeness (0 + 0 → –1 + 0)
not conserved;
so interaction not possible; 2

This question is about mesons and baryons.

(a) State the quark content of mesons and baryons.

Mesons: .......................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

Baryons: ......................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................
(2)

(b) Explain why both mesons and baryons can be described as colourless.
 Mesons: .......................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................

Baryons: ......................................................................................................................

......................................................................................................................................
(2)

(c) A negative pion, π–, collides with a stationary proton, producing a neutron and an unknown
particle, X.

π– + p → n + X

(i) State the charge on particle X.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(1)

(ii) Deduce whether particle X is a meson or a baryon.

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................

...........................................................................................................................
(2)
(Total 7 marks)

(a) mesons: quark and anti-quark;

baryons: three quarks/anti-quarks; 2
(b) mesons: colour cancels out anti-colour;
baryons: red green blue combine to make colourless particle; 2
(c) (i) zero; 1
(ii) baryons have baryon number +1, mesons have baryon number 0;
by conservation of baryon number, 0 + 1 = 1 + X, so X = 0, so
X is a meson; 2