Atomic Structure

Question 1

What is a proton, electron, and neutron?

Answer 1

Proton - A positively charged subatomic particle with a mass of AMU (located in the nucleus)
Electron - A negatively charged subatomic particle with negligible mass (located in electron cloud)
Neutron -A subatomic particle with no charge and a mass of 1 AMU (located in the nucleus)

Question 2

Fission?

Answer 2

• Process used for splitting of a large nucleus, such as a Uranium-235
• Used in nucleus reactors in power plants

Question 3

Fusion?

Answer 3

• Occurs in the sun
• Joining of small nuclei
• Produces the most energy released per gram

Question 4

What does fission and fusion both have?

Answer 4

• Involved the nucleus of the atom

- Releases large amounts of energy

Question 5

Alpha decay?

Answer 5

• Emits a helium nucleus from an unstable isotope
• Helium-4 and +2 charge
• Penetrating Power is low

Question 6

Beta decay?

Answer 6

• Process during which a neutron breaks down in the nucleus and emits an electron, but proton remains in the nucleus, increasing the atomic # by 1
• Penetrating Power is medium
• 0/-1 e

Question 7

Gamma Emission?

Answer 7

• High energy radiation with no mass and no charge that is sometimes released with a alpha or beta decay
• Penetrating Power is high
• 0/0 Y

Question 8

Half Life?

Answer 8

Amount of time it takes 50% of a radioactive sample to decay (ex. 200->100->50->25->etc.)

Question 9

Positron Emission?

Answer 9

Proton in the nucleus changes into a neutron, causing the atomic # to decrease by one; also known as beta plus decay

Question 10

Radioactive Decay?

Answer 10

Process by which an unstable, radioisotope emits either particles or energy to become a more stable isotope

Question 11

Which of the three particles(alpha, beta, gamma) would be attracted to a negatively charged plate?

Answer 11

An alpha particle cause it has a positive charge

Question 12

222/88 Ra –> 4/2 He + 218/86 RN

Answer 12

Alpha decay

Question 13

14/8 O -> 14/7 N + 0/-1 e

Answer 13

Beta decay

Question 14

131/53 I -> 131/54 Xe + 0/-1 e + 0/0 Y

Answer 14

beta + gamma

Question 15

239/96 Cm + 0/-1 e -> 239/95 Am + 0/0 Y

Answer 15

electron capture + gamma