Atomic recoil Atomic recoil Atomic recoil is the result of the interaction of an atom with an energetic elementary particle, when the momentum of the interacting particle is transferred to the atom as whole without altering non-translational degrees of freedom of the atom. It is a purely quantum phenomenon. Atomic recoil was discovered by Harriet Brooks, Canada's first female nuclear physicist. If the transferred momentum of atomic recoil is enough to disrupt the crystal lattice of the material, a vacancy defect is formed; otherwise a phonon is generated. Closely related to atomic recoil is electron recoil (see photoexcitation and photoionization), and nuclear
Ribonucleoprotein particle Ribonucleoprotein particle A ribonucleoprotein particle or RNP is a complex formed between RNA and RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). The term RNP foci can also be used to denote intracellular compartments involved in processing of RNA transcripts. RBPs interact with RNA through binding motifs. Aromatic amino acid residues in this RNA binding motif result in stacking interactions with RNA. Lysine residues in the helical portion of RNA binding proteins help to stabilize interactions with nucleic acids. This nucleic acid binding is a result of the force of attraction between the positive electrical charge of lysine side chains and the negative electrical charge