Nuclear Chemistry Flashcards
Nonionizing radiation
Radiation considered safe, not causing cancer
Half-life
Time for half of a substance to decay
Radioisotope
An isotope that exhibits radioactivity
Alpha particles
Consist of two protons and two neutrons
Beta particles
Can be electrons or positrons emitted
Gamma rays
High frequency electromagnetic radiation
Mass number change
Mass number decreases by 4 when alpha particle is emitted
Atomic number change
Mass number decreases by 2 when alpha particle is emitted
How is the Law of Conservation of Mass “violated” in nuclear chem?
Mass converts to energy in nuclear reactions
Band of stability
Region where stable nuclei are found
Nuclear chain reaction
Neutrons cause further fission in nuclei
Geiger counter
Geiger-Muller counters are handheld devices that click or beep when they detect radiation by measuring ionization in a gas-filled tube
Positron
Particle with positive charge, equal mass to electron
Nuclear force
Force holding atomic nucleus together
Ionizing radiation
Radiation that removes electrons, creating ions
Radiometric dating
Dating method using proportions of radioactive isotopes
How do smoke detectors use radioisotopes?
They use radioisotopes to ionize air for smoke detection
Scintillation detector
Device that detects radiation via light emission
Film badge dosimeter
Device for measuring exposure to radiation
Positron emission tomography
Medical imaging technique using positrons
Decay
Process of an unstable nucleus emitting radiation
Fission
Splitting of a nucleus releasing energy
7 types of electromagnetic radiation
Radio waves, microwaves, infrared light, visible light, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays, gamma rays
Radiation therapy to treat cancer
- Cancer cells are more susceptible to radiation than healthy cells
- Often, the radiation used is a beam of x-rays or gamma rays
How are radioisotopes used as tracers to help detect cancer and thyroid problems
- PET Scan: “positron emission tomography”
- Measures positron emissions
- Can be used to detect cancer, also used in brain imaging
Average atomic mass formula
(Percent to decimal)(Mass) + (Percent to decimal)(Mass)
Atomic mass number
The total number of protons and neutrons in an atom’s nucleus
Film badges
Film badges are small cards containing light-sensitive film that darkens when exposed to radiation, used to measure a person’s radiation exposure over time
Scintillation counters
Scintillation counters detect radiation by using special materials that emit light when hit by radiation; this light is then converted into an electrical signal to measure the radiation level
