Question

A positron is as heavy as a/an:
(A) Proton
(B) Electron
(C) Neutron
(D) None of these

Answer 1

Hint An attempt to this question can be made by determining the type of species mentioned in the options. To answer this question, we should know that one of the species in the answer has the same mass and the same but opposite charge as a positron. Now, try to find the oppositely charged species.

Complete step by step answer:
-We should know that the most common entities of a nuclear reaction are protons, neutrons, alpha particles, beta particles, positrons, and gamma rays.
-Protons ($_{ 1 }p^{ 1 }$) are a type of subatomic particle with a positive charge. Protons are bound together in an atom's nucleus as a result of the strong nuclear force.
-Neutrons ($_{ 0 }n^{ 1 }$) are a type of subatomic particle with no charge (they're neutral). Like protons, neutrons are bound into the atom's nucleus as a result of the strong nuclear force.
-Electrons ($-_{ 1 }e^{ 0 }$) are a type of subatomic particle with a negative charge.
-Positrons ($+_{ 1 }e^{ 0 }$, also represented by the symbol $+_{ 1 }\beta ^{ 0 }$) are positively charged electrons (or we can say they are “anti-electrons”). A positron is as heavy as an electron. The Positron and electron have equal mass and equal but opposite charges.

Therefore, we can conclude that the correct answer to this question is option B.

Note: We should also know that alpha particles (_{ 2 }He ^{ 4 }, also represented by the symbol $_{ 2 }\alpha ^{ 4 }$) are high-energy helium nuclei. Beta particles ($-_{ 1 }\beta ^{ 0 }$, also represented by the symbol $-_{ 1 }e ^{ 0 }$) are high-energy electrons, and gamma rays are photons of very high-energy electromagnetic radiation.