Chapter 7

Question 1

what is radioactivity?

Answer 1

a release of high-energy particles and rays of energy from a substance

Question 2

what is radiation?

Answer 2

high-energy rays and particles given off by things that are radioactive

Question 3

what are isotopes?

Answer 3

another way of representing an element

they have the same # of protons and a different # of neutrons

Question 4

how to you find the number of neutrons in an isotope?

Answer 4

number of neutrons = mass number - atomic number

Question 5

how do you find the mass number of an isotope?

Answer 5

mass number = atomic # + neutrons

Question 6

how do you represent isotopes?

Answer 6

using standard atomic notation or nuclear symbol

ex. Potassium-39

Question 7

what is radioactive decay?

Answer 7

the process of an unstable nuclei emitting radiation to stabilize itself

Question 8

what are 3 types of radiation?

Answer 8

alpha
beta
gamma

Question 9

what are 4 facts about alpha radiation?

Answer 9

1) a stream of alpha particles
2) charge of 2+
3) can be stopped by paper
4) looks like a helium element

Question 10

what are 4 facts about beta radiation?

Answer 10

1) a stream of beta particles
2) charge of -1
3) can be stopped by aluminum
4) also an electron element

Question 11

what are 3 facts about gamma radiation?

Answer 11

1) rays of high-energy with short wave lengths
2) charge of 0
3) can by stopped by lead

Question 12

what is radiocarbon dating?

Answer 12

the process of finding the age of an object by measuring the amount of Carbon-14 remaining

Question 13

what is a half life?

Answer 13

a measure of the rate of decay for an isotope, it is equal to the time is takes for half of the nuclei to decay

Question 14

what is a decay curve?

Answer 14

a curved line on a graph that shows the rate of a radioisotope decaying

Question 15

how do you set up a graph for decay?

Answer 15

title: decay of _______

y-axis: _____ remaining (%)

x-axis: _____ # of half lives

Question 16

what are common isotope pairs?

Answer 16

parent and daughter isotopes

Question 17

what is a parent isotope?

Answer 17

an isotope that undergoes radioactive decay

Question 18

what is a daughter isotope?

Answer 18

the stable product if radioactive decay

Question 19

what is the potassium-40 clock?

Answer 19

what radioisotopes are used, usually potassium-40 and argon-40, to date objects

Question 20

what does the atomic theory state?

Answer 20

protons and neutrons are in the nucleus

electrons surround the nucleus

Question 21

what are 2 types of nuclear reactions?

Answer 21

fission and fusion

Question 22

what is nuclear fission?

Answer 22

when a nuclei splits, produces 2 nuclei, and releases energy and a subatomic particle

Question 23

what is an induced nuclear reaction?

Answer 23

when scientists bombard a nucleus with alpha, beta, gamma rays

Question 24

how long can a fuel bundle be in a candu reactor for?

Answer 24

15 months

Question 25

What happens after a fuel bundle is used up?

Answer 25

it is stored in a water pool for 10 years

Question 26

what is nuclear fusion?

Answer 26

the combining of 2 small nuclei making a larger nucleus

Question 27

where does fusion occur? Why?

Answer 27

on the sun and other stars because of the high pressure and temperature