Nuclear Chemistry Flashcards
What can ionising radiation do
it can damage DNA and cause burns and cancers.
How can you detect ionising radiation
A Geiger-Muller tube can be used
what happens when ionising radiation makes contact with an atom
It can cause it to ionise (gain or lose an electron), which can make it unstable.
What can happen due to ionising radiation (to do with electrons)
Electrons can be lost or gained
What is an alpha particle
This is a helium nucleus (two protons and two electrons). These are the most ionising (damaging) and also the slowes
What is the charge of an alpha particle
This has a charge of 2+ as it contains two protons.
How can alpha particles be blocked
They can be blocked easiest with just paper
What is a beta particle
A Beta particle is a FAST MOVING ELECTRON. These are the second most ionising.
What is the charge of a beta particle
These have a charge of 1- and a mass of 0.
What is a gamma ray
Gamma waves are part of the Electromagnetic Spectrum. They travel a the speed of light (3x10^8m/s) so travel the fastest, and are the least ionising.
Which particles are the least penetrative
Alpha particles
Which particles are the second most penetrative
Beta particles
Which particles are the most penetrative
Gamma particles
What happens as a radioactive substance ages
Its activity (no. decays/time) decreases.
Each radioactive substance has a very specific time in which its activity is halved
What is the nuclide notation for alpha particles
4
He
2
What is the nuclide notation for beta particles
0 -
e
-1
What is the nuclide notation for Proton
1
p
1
What does an emission of an alpha particle lead to
a decrease in atomic number by 2 and a decrease in mass number by 4.
When are beta particle emitted
when a neutron splits into a proton and an electron. The electron is emitted and the atomic number increases by 1. Mass number stays the same.
What is a half-life
The time that a radioactive substance takes for its activity to reduce by half
How is radiation used in the medical field
in the form of X-rays for imaging/diagnosing patients. X-rays can also be used therapeutically, helping in surgical procedures. Gamma radiation is utilised in radiotherapy for certain cancers and also used to sterilise equipment for surgeries.
Name two used of radiation
the production of energy and in the medical field.
What is carbon dating
when you use radiation to determine the ages of old carbon-based compounds, we can calculate the age of the substance by determining the half-life of a carbon-based compound. Radiation is therefore used in archaeology.
