NST2601 Assignment 3
(COMPLETE
ANSWERS) 2025 - DUE
26 July 2025
For assistance contact
Email:
, QUESTION 1 [30 MARKS]
1.1 Define the following: (20)
a. Particle: In physics, a particle is a small, localized object to which can be ascribed several
physical or chemical properties such as volume, density, or mass. It can refer to a fundamental
constituent of matter (like an electron or quark), a composite object (like a proton or neutron), or
even a larger entity (like a dust particle) when its internal structure is irrelevant to the context.
b. Atomic model: An atomic model is a theoretical framework that describes the structure of an
atom. Over time, various models have been proposed to explain observed phenomena, evolving
from Dalton's solid sphere model to Thomson's plum pudding model, Rutherford's nuclear
model, Bohr's planetary model, and finally the more complex quantum mechanical model. Each
model attempts to represent how protons, neutrons, and electrons are arranged within an atom
and how they interact.
c. Subatomic: Subatomic refers to particles that are smaller than an atom or to processes that
occur within an atom. Examples of subatomic particles include protons, neutrons, and electrons,
as well as more exotic particles like quarks, leptons, and bosons.
d. Protons: Protons are positively charged subatomic particles found in the nucleus of an atom.
They have a charge of +1 elementary charge and a mass approximately equal to one atomic mass
unit (amu). The number of protons in an atom's nucleus defines its atomic number and,
consequently, its chemical element.
e. Neutrons: Neutrons are neutral (no electrical charge) subatomic particles found in the nucleus
of an atom. They have a mass slightly greater than that of a proton, also approximately one
atomic mass unit (amu). Neutrons contribute to the atom's mass but do not affect its chemical
properties or charge.
f. Electron configuration: Electron configuration is the distribution of electrons of an atom or
molecule in atomic or molecular orbitals. It describes the arrangement of electrons in shells,
subshells, and orbitals around the nucleus of an atom, following specific rules (e.g., Aufbau
principle, Pauli exclusion principle, Hund's rule). It determines an atom's chemical behavior and
its position in the periodic table.
g. Energy: Energy is the quantitative property that must be transferred to an object in order to
perform work on, or to heat, the object. It exists in various forms, such as kinetic (motion),
potential (stored), thermal (heat), electrical, chemical, nuclear, and radiant (light) energy. Energy
cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another (Law of Conservation
of Energy).
h. Energy system: An energy system refers to the interconnected network of components that
produce, convert, transmit, and consume energy within a defined boundary (e.g., a country, a
building, or the entire planet). It encompasses all processes from the extraction of raw energy
sources to their final use, including infrastructure, technologies, and policies.
(COMPLETE
ANSWERS) 2025 - DUE
26 July 2025
For assistance contact
Email:
, QUESTION 1 [30 MARKS]
1.1 Define the following: (20)
a. Particle: In physics, a particle is a small, localized object to which can be ascribed several
physical or chemical properties such as volume, density, or mass. It can refer to a fundamental
constituent of matter (like an electron or quark), a composite object (like a proton or neutron), or
even a larger entity (like a dust particle) when its internal structure is irrelevant to the context.
b. Atomic model: An atomic model is a theoretical framework that describes the structure of an
atom. Over time, various models have been proposed to explain observed phenomena, evolving
from Dalton's solid sphere model to Thomson's plum pudding model, Rutherford's nuclear
model, Bohr's planetary model, and finally the more complex quantum mechanical model. Each
model attempts to represent how protons, neutrons, and electrons are arranged within an atom
and how they interact.
c. Subatomic: Subatomic refers to particles that are smaller than an atom or to processes that
occur within an atom. Examples of subatomic particles include protons, neutrons, and electrons,
as well as more exotic particles like quarks, leptons, and bosons.
d. Protons: Protons are positively charged subatomic particles found in the nucleus of an atom.
They have a charge of +1 elementary charge and a mass approximately equal to one atomic mass
unit (amu). The number of protons in an atom's nucleus defines its atomic number and,
consequently, its chemical element.
e. Neutrons: Neutrons are neutral (no electrical charge) subatomic particles found in the nucleus
of an atom. They have a mass slightly greater than that of a proton, also approximately one
atomic mass unit (amu). Neutrons contribute to the atom's mass but do not affect its chemical
properties or charge.
f. Electron configuration: Electron configuration is the distribution of electrons of an atom or
molecule in atomic or molecular orbitals. It describes the arrangement of electrons in shells,
subshells, and orbitals around the nucleus of an atom, following specific rules (e.g., Aufbau
principle, Pauli exclusion principle, Hund's rule). It determines an atom's chemical behavior and
its position in the periodic table.
g. Energy: Energy is the quantitative property that must be transferred to an object in order to
perform work on, or to heat, the object. It exists in various forms, such as kinetic (motion),
potential (stored), thermal (heat), electrical, chemical, nuclear, and radiant (light) energy. Energy
cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed from one form to another (Law of Conservation
of Energy).
h. Energy system: An energy system refers to the interconnected network of components that
produce, convert, transmit, and consume energy within a defined boundary (e.g., a country, a
building, or the entire planet). It encompasses all processes from the extraction of raw energy
sources to their final use, including infrastructure, technologies, and policies.
