Chapter 6.2 - 'Radioactivity' Flashcards
Under what circumstances does alpha decay occur?
It occurs:
When a heavy unstable nucleus is undergoing radioactive decay.
What is an alpha particle?
State the symbol.
A positively charged particle consisting of two neutrons and protons.
Or rather a helium nucleus.
a
What is nuclear transmutation?
The conversion of one element or isotope into another.
Under what circumstances does beta minus occur?
State the transformations and what happens.
State the equation for the transformation.
When a nucleus has too many neutrons to be stable.
A neutron decays into a proton, a beta minus particle (electron) and an uncharged massless antimatter particle called an antineutrino. The beta minus particle and antineutrino are emitted from the nucleus.
1n0 -> 1p1 + 0B-1 + v
Under what circumstances does beta plus occur?
State the transformations and what happens.
State the equation for the transformation.
When a nucleus has too many protons to be stable.
A proton decays into a neutron, a beta positive particle (positron) and an uncharged massless antimatter particle called an antineutrino. The beta minus particle and antineutrino are emitted from the nucleus.
1p1 -> 1n0 + 0B-1 + v
Under what circumstances does gamma decay occur?
After alpha or beta decay has occurred. When the daughter nucleus rearranges, offloading the excess energy as gamma radiation.
State why nuclides do not blow apart due to the exertion of electrostatic forces between protons.
State why neutrons were not factored in.
A force of attraction called strong nuclear force holds them together.
Neutrons do not have charge, therefore are unaffected by electrostatic forces.
State what the strong nuclear force is and what it affects.
What does it act like?
The strong nuclear force is a force of attraction that acts between every nucleon regardless of charge.
It acts like a ‘nuclear glue’.
After what atomic number does the close ratio of nucleons change?
20
State why elements with more than 83 protons are unstable.
Heavier nuclei have protons that don’t attract each other via the nuclear force but still repel each other electrostatically.
State a common detector of radiation.
Geiger counter
Define ‘radioactive decay’.
Process where the nucleus of an unstable atom loses energy by emitting radiation.
