Nuclear Phy

Question 1

radioactive decay

Answer 1

a spontaneous and random emission of ionising radiation in the form of alpha particles, beta particles or gamma ray photons from unstable nucleus to become a more stable nucleus

Question 2

spontaneous process

random process

Answer 2

spontaneous: probability of decay is unaffected by external factors such as temp, pressure or chem composition

random: impossible to predict if an unstable nucleus will decay at any point of time. only probability of decay is known

Question 3

nuclear fission

Answer 3

the splitting of a heavy nucleus into 2 lighter nuclei of approx the same mass

Question 4

nuclear fusion

Answer 4

when 2 light nuclei combine to form a nucleus of greater mass

Question 5

activity

Answer 5

number of radioactive decays per unit time