Chpt 21: Nuclear Chemistry

Question 1

what happens during beta emission?

Answer 1

neutron turns into a proton, and in order to maintain the charge, an electron is emitted

Question 2

how many types of radioactive decay are there?

Answer 2

5

Question 3

what happens during alpha emission?

Answer 3

an atom ejects a helium (2 protons and e neutrons)

Question 4

what happens during gamma emission?

Answer 4

an atom’s protons and neutrons move around in order to get to a lower energy state (but the number of protons and neutrons doesn’t chage)

Photon in released in the process

Question 5

what happens during positron emission?

Answer 5

proton turns into a neutron, and in order to maintain the charge, a positron is emitted

Question 6

what is a positron?

Answer 6

a particle that has the mass of an electron but a positive charge

like a positive electron

Question 7

what is electron capture?

Answer 7

atom’s nucleus turns a proton into a neutron AND cannibalizes one of the electrons from it’s electron cloud

Question 8

What is the half life for an atom that is not radioactive?

Answer 8

Infinity