International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) Chemistry Practice Exam

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What is an alternative term for particles that have mass within the nucleus?

Excitons
Nuclear particles
Subatomic particles
Elementary particles

The correct answer is: Nuclear particles

The term "nuclear particles" refers specifically to the types of particles that are found within the nucleus of an atom, which includes protons and neutrons. These particles have mass and are fundamental to the structure of the nucleus. In contrast, excitons are quasiparticles formed in certain materials that arise from electron and hole pairs, and do not pertain to the nucleus directly. Subatomic particles is a broader term that encompasses all particles smaller than an atom, including those within the nucleus, but also other types of particles such as electrons, which are not part of the nucleus. Elementary particles are those that are not made up of smaller units; while some nuclear particles can be considered elementary in specific physics contexts, this term is often used outside the context of just the nucleus and typically refers to particles in high-energy physics. Hence, nuclear particles is the most precise and relevant term in this context for particles with mass within the nucleus.