Nuclear energy Flashcards
Nuclear energy is released by which
three exoenergetic (exothermic) processes?
Fission, Fusion and Radioactive decay
What is the definition of Fusion
a nuclear reaction in which atomic nuclei of low
atomic number fuse to form a heavier nucleus with the
release of energy
What is the definition of Fission
a nuclear reaction in which a heavy nucleus splits
spontaneously or on impact with another particle, with the
release of energy
What is the definition of Radioactive decay
the process in which the nucleus of an unstable atom loses energy by emitting ionizing radiation
What is the atomic number (Z)
number of protons
(also the same as the number of electrons)
What is the atomic mass
Number of protons + neutrons
What is half life
Half-life is the time required for a quantity to reduce to half of its initial value. Used in nuclear physics to describe how quickly unstable atoms undergo radioactive decay.
What is activity
Activity is the rate at which a radioactive material is decaying
What are the 5 main types of Radioactive decay
alpha ‐ ejection of He nucleus
beta ‐ ejection of electron from a neutron, conversion to proton
gamma ‐ electromagnetic wave from nucleus
beta+/positron ‐ ejection of anti‐electron (positron) conversion of
proton to neutron
electron capture ‐ capture of electron from orbitals
What is the Relative Atomic Mass (RAM)
weighted average of all
naturally occurring isotopes for a given element.
What is characteristic of an Isotope
Same number of Protons, different number of neutrons
What are neutrons and protons composed of
Quarks
What is the repulsion force in a nucleus
Coulombic force between protons (10^-2 m)
What is the attraction force in a nucleus
nuclear force between quarks (10^-15 m)
How much stronger is the nuclear force than the Coulombic repulsion
100 times
