Absolute Age

Question 1

How are unstable ( radioactive ) atoms different from stable atoms

Answer 1

The nucleus was g this kind of atom is said to be stable. In some atoms the binging energy is not strong enough to hold the nucleus together, and the nuclei of these atoms are said to be unstable. Unstable atoms will lose protons and neutrons in an attempt to become stable.

Question 2

Describe the ways a radioactive nucleus can decay

Answer 2

Altogether, there are three major types of nuclear decay that radioactive particles can undergo, alpha, beta or gamma decay. Each type emits a particle from the nucleus.

Alpha particles are high-energy helium nucleus containing 2 protons and 2 neutrons

Question 3

Atom

Answer 3

An atom is the smallest constituent unit of ordinary matter that has the properties of a chemical element. Every solid, liquid, gas, and plasma is composed of neutral or ionized atoms. Atoms are extremely small, typical sizes around 100 picometers

Question 4

Ion:

Answer 4

An atom or molecule with a net electric charge due to the loss or gain of one or more electrons

Question 5

Nucleus

Answer 5

The positively charge central core of an atom, consisting of protons and neutrons and containing nearly all its mass

Question 6

Stable isotope

Answer 6

An isotope if an element that shows no tendency undergo radioactive breakdown

Question 7

Unstable isotope

Answer 7

Any element having excess of nutrients in the nucleus as compare to the stable fork of atom tends to be unstable In nature. These elements tend to be radioactive and undergo radioactive decay by emitting energy which could be measured by a detector.

Question 8

Decay probability

Answer 8

The radioactive half-life for a given radioisotope is a measure of the tendency of the nucleus to “decay” or “disintegrate” and as such is based purely on that probability

Question 9

Alpha decay

Answer 9

Is a type of radioactive decay in which an atomic nucleus emits and alpha particle (helium nucleus) and thereby transforms or decays into a different atomic nucleus, with a mass number that is reduced by four and an atomic number that is reduced by two.

Question 10

Beta decay

Answer 10

Fast energetic particle or positron. Is emitted from an atomic nucleus

Question 11

Decay series

Answer 11

Is the series of decay in which radioactive element is decomposed in different elements until it produces a stable one

Question 12

Parent-daughter

Answer 12

A parent isotope is one that undergoes decay to fork s daughter isotope. One example of this is uranium ( atomic number 92) decaying into thorium ( atomic number 90)

Question 13

Closure temperature:

Answer 13

In physical terms, the closure temperature is the temperature at which a system has cooled so that there is no longer any significant diffusion if the Karen or daughter isotopes of the system and into the external environment

Question 14

Proton

Answer 14

A stable sub atomic particle occurring in all atomic nuclei with a positive electric charge equal in magnitude to that if an electron, but of opposite sign

Question 15

Atomic number

Answer 15

The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom, which determines the chemical properties of an element and its place in the periodic table

Question 16

Atomic mass

Answer 16

The mass of an atom of a chemical element express in atomic mass units. It is approximately equivalent to the number if protons and neutrons in the atom (the mass number) or to the average number allowing for the relative abundance’s if different isotopes

Question 17

Isotope

Answer 17

Each if two or more forms of the same element that contain equal numbers of protons but different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei, and hence differ in relative atomic mass but not in chemical properties; i particular, a radioactive form of an element

Question 18

Radioactive decay:

Answer 18

Is a condition and natural process I. Which subatomic particles within the atomic nucleus of a radioisotope decay due to the instability of the atom

Question 19

Radiometric dating

Answer 19

Used to determine the age of materials such as rocks. It is based on the comparison. Between the observed abundance of a naturally occurring radioactive isotope and it’s decay products, using known decay rates.

Question 20

Half life positron decay is beta capture

Answer 20

The first type (here referred to as beta decay) is also called negation emission because a negatively charged beta particle is emitted, whereas the second type (positron emission) emits a positively charged beta particle. In electron capture, an orbital electron is captured by the nucleus and absorbed in the reaction.

Question 21

Half-life

Answer 21

The time taken for the radioactivity if a specified isotope to fall to half its original value.

Question 22

Mean life

Answer 22

Average lifetime of a nuclei if a particular unstable atomic species.