Question

Name the unit of work done, used in subatomic scale.

Hint:

When dealing with atomic or nuclear physics, always expect energies to be expressed in electron-volts (eV) or its multiples like keV (kilo-eV), MeV (mega-eV), and GeV (giga-eV).

Answer 1

Step 1: Understanding the Scale:
The subatomic scale refers to particles smaller than an atom, like electrons, protons, and neutrons. The energies and work done involved at this level are extremely small compared to macroscopic standards.
Step 2: Defining the Unit:
The standard SI unit for work and energy is the Joule (J). However, the Joule is too large for convenient use on the subatomic scale. A more practical unit is the electron-volt (eV).
One electron-volt is defined as the amount of kinetic energy gained (or work done) by a single electron when it is accelerated through an electric potential difference of one volt.
\(1 \text{ eV} \approx 1.602 \times 10^{-19} \text{ J}\).