Question

The positron is as heavy as which of the following:
A.Electron
B.Neutron
C.Proton
D.Alpha particle

Answer 1

Hint: Positron is the antiparticle of an electron. The positron is the subatomic particle whose electric charge is $ + 1e$ and has atomic mass equal to $9.109 \times {10^{ - 11}}kg$.

Complete step by step answer:
Positron, also called positive electron, is a positively charged subatomic particle having the same mass and magnitude of charge as the electron and constituting the antiparticle of a negative electron. Positrons are produced by positron emission radioactive decay or by a pair production from a sufficiently energetic photon which interacts with atoms in material.
The subatomic particle which has the same mass as one of the particles of ordinary matter is said to be Antiparticle. These types of particles have opposite electric charge.
Hence the correct answer is option A.

Additional Information:
-The electron is the sub – atomic particle whose symbols are ${e^ - }$ or ${\beta ^ - }$ and electric charge is $ - 1e$ elementary charge.
-The positron is the subatomic particle whose symbols are, ${e^ + }$ or ${\beta ^ + }$ having electric charge as $ + 1e$ elementary charge.
-A proton is the sub – atomic particle whose symbols are, $p$ or ${p^ + }$, with a positive electric charge of $ + 1e$ elementary charge.
-Alpha particles are also known as alpha rays or alpha radiation. It is denoted by the symbol $\alpha $ which consists of two protons and two neutrons bound together into a particle identical to a helium-4 nucleus.
-A neutron is a subatomic particle having symbol $n$ ,with no net electrostatic charge, with a very similar mass to a proton.
-The difference between positron and proton is mass, positron has the same mass as electron. Protons are approximately 1836 heavier than electrons or positrons.
Now, we know that positrons are anti – particles of electrons. Therefore, the mass of the electron and positron will be the same.

Note: An alpha particle has four times the mass of proton as well its charge is two times that of proton. An alpha particle is a positively charged particle like a proton. Mass of an alpha particle is due to two protons and two neutrons which are present in it.