Topics in Atomic Physics (2026 Edition) –
Solutions to Problems – Burkhardt & Leventhal
atomic physics - answers-the study of the internal structure of atomic nuclei
electrons - answers-electrons were first discovered in 1897 by JJ Thompson who called them
"corpuscles"
plum pudding - answers-Thompson's model if the atom in which he hypothesized that the atom
itself was positively charged, and continued small negative particles
protons - answers-discovered in 1918 by New Zealand physicist Ernest Rutherford
model of the atom - answers-Niels Bohr designed the first accepted model of the atom when he
mapped out the structure if hydrogen
neutrons - answers-discovered in 1932 by James Chadwick
quantum - answers-the smallest unit of anything in the universe
quantum mechanics - answers-the branch of physics which predicts the behaviors of subatomic
particles based on quantum theory
photon - answers-one quantum of light; smallest part of light
1
, photon theory of light - answers-Max Planck's calculating of the energy of a photon of light
based on the photon's frequency
planck's constant - answers-h = 6.626*10^-34
mass energy - answers-at the turn of the 20th century, a genius by the name of Albert Einstein
proposed that anything with mass, no matter how small, must have energy
Einstein's nobel - answers-Albert Einstein's only awarded Nobel Prize for Physics came not from
his work on energy or special relativity, but from his explanation of the photoelectric effect
photoelectric effect - answers-the phenomenon of shining light onto a medal surface, emitting
electrons from that surface
particles as waves - answers-with many discoveries about waves behaving as particles, a
student named Louis de Broglie pondered if particles can behave as waves
nuclear physics - answers-the study of components, structure and behavior of the atomic nuclei
atomic number - answers-the unique number assigned to each element that is equal to the
number of protons present within every atom of that element
atomic mass number - answers-the total number of nucleons present within an atom of that
element
nucleons - answers-the collective number of protons and neutrons found in the nucleus of an
atom
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Solutions to Problems – Burkhardt & Leventhal
atomic physics - answers-the study of the internal structure of atomic nuclei
electrons - answers-electrons were first discovered in 1897 by JJ Thompson who called them
"corpuscles"
plum pudding - answers-Thompson's model if the atom in which he hypothesized that the atom
itself was positively charged, and continued small negative particles
protons - answers-discovered in 1918 by New Zealand physicist Ernest Rutherford
model of the atom - answers-Niels Bohr designed the first accepted model of the atom when he
mapped out the structure if hydrogen
neutrons - answers-discovered in 1932 by James Chadwick
quantum - answers-the smallest unit of anything in the universe
quantum mechanics - answers-the branch of physics which predicts the behaviors of subatomic
particles based on quantum theory
photon - answers-one quantum of light; smallest part of light
1
, photon theory of light - answers-Max Planck's calculating of the energy of a photon of light
based on the photon's frequency
planck's constant - answers-h = 6.626*10^-34
mass energy - answers-at the turn of the 20th century, a genius by the name of Albert Einstein
proposed that anything with mass, no matter how small, must have energy
Einstein's nobel - answers-Albert Einstein's only awarded Nobel Prize for Physics came not from
his work on energy or special relativity, but from his explanation of the photoelectric effect
photoelectric effect - answers-the phenomenon of shining light onto a medal surface, emitting
electrons from that surface
particles as waves - answers-with many discoveries about waves behaving as particles, a
student named Louis de Broglie pondered if particles can behave as waves
nuclear physics - answers-the study of components, structure and behavior of the atomic nuclei
atomic number - answers-the unique number assigned to each element that is equal to the
number of protons present within every atom of that element
atomic mass number - answers-the total number of nucleons present within an atom of that
element
nucleons - answers-the collective number of protons and neutrons found in the nucleus of an
atom
2
