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Physics Unit 3 > Nuclear Decay and Energy > Flashcards

Nuclear Decay and Energy Flashcards

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1
Q

What is a radioactive element?

A

Radioactive elements are unstable elements which are made up of atoms with unstable nuclei that are emitting ionising radiation by spontaneous disintegration in aims of attaining a stable form

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2
Q

What is nuclear decay?

A

Nuclear decay is the inevitable decay of an element to form a stable element, as the nucleus of the decaying atom changes during the dexay

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3
Q

What is true about radioactive emission?

A

It is spontaneous and random

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4
Q

Where is radioactive radiation emitted from?

A

The nucleus of the atom

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5
Q

What are the 3 types of radiation?

A

Alpha α
Beta β
Gamma Υ

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6
Q

What is alpha radiation?

A

An alpha particle is a fast moving helium nucleus

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7
Q

What is the mass of an alpha particle?

A

4u

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8
Q

What is the charge of an alpha particle?

A

2+

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9
Q

What is the range and penetration of an alpha particle?

A

Short range, stopped by 2cm of air

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10
Q

What is the ionisation of an alpha particle?

A

High, an alpha particle is strongly ionising

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11
Q

What is the speed of an alpha particle?

A

An alpha particle is fast moving

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12
Q

Do alpha particles get deflected by electric or magnetic fields?

A

Yes, alpha particles are weakly deflected by E and B fields

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13
Q

What is a beta particle?

A

A high energy electron

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14
Q

What is the mass of a beta particle?

A

1/2000u

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15
Q

What is the charge of a beta particle?

A

-1

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16
Q

What is the range and penetration of a beta particle?

A

Medium range, stopped by 2-3mm of aluminium

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17
Q

What is the ionisation of beta particle?

A

Medium, a beta particle is moderately ionising

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18
Q

What is the speed of a beta particle?

A

A beta particle moves just less than the speed of light

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19
Q

Do beta particles get deflected by electric or magnetic fields?

A

Yes, beta particles are strongly deflected by E & B fields because of their low mass

20
Q

What is a gamma particle?

A

High energy photon γ

21
Q

What is the mass of a gamma particle?

A

Gamma particles are massless

22
Q

What is the charge of a gamma particle?

A

Gamma particles have no charge

23
Q

What is the range and penetration of a gamma particle?

A

Long range, stopped by 2-3cm of lead

24
Q

What is the ionisation of a gamma particle?

A

A gamma particle is weakly ionising

25
Q

What is the speed of a gamma particle?

A

A gamma particle moves at the speed of light

26
Q

Do gamma particles get deflected by electric and magnetic fields?

A

No

27
Q

What is half life?

A

The time taken for the activity of a radioactive substance to decay by half

28
Q

The activity (A) is proportional to?

A

The number of radioactive nuclei (N)

29
Q

What is the equation of activity and number of radioactive nuclei?

A

A = -λN

Where λ is the decay constant

30
Q

What are the decay equations?

A

A = A°e^-λt

N = N°e^-λt

31
Q

What is the activity of a radioactive nuclei?

A

The rate of decay of a sample of radioactive nuclei

32
Q

What is the equation for finding the number of unstable nuclei after a time t, if the number of half lives is known?

A

N = N°/2^x

A = A°/2^x

33
Q

What is the equation for half life?

A

T = ln(2)/λ

34
Q

What is activity measured in?

A

Bq (becquerels)

35
Q

What is the decay constant?

A

The probability that a single nucleus will decay per unit time

36
Q

What is true about energy and mass?

A

They are equivalent:

E = mc^2

37
Q

In a nuclear reaction the energy produced is equivalent to what?

A

The energy produced is equivalent to the loss of mass

38
Q

What is binding energy?

A

The energy that has to be supplied to separate a nucleus into its individual nucleons

39
Q

What is a nucleon?

A

A proton or neutron

40
Q

What is true with a higher the binding energy of a nuclei?

A

The more stable the nuclei is

41
Q

Why are nuclei with a higher binding energy per nucleon more stable?

A

Because the binding energy per nucleon is energy required to overcome the strong nuclear force holding the nuclei’s nucleons together

42
Q

What happens when you input the binding energy to separate nucleons?

A

The separated nucleons have a slight increase in mass

43
Q

In both fusion and fission reactions what is true about the binding energy per nucleon of the product?

A

The binding energy per nucleon of the product is higher than the reactants

44
Q

How much energy is one “u” equal to?

A

931 MeV

45
Q

What is the mass defect?

A

The mass of a nucleus is smaller than the sum of the masses of the constituent nucleons, this difference is the mass defect

Physics Unit 3 (5 decks)

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