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COPY IGCSE Physics > Nuclear Physics > Flashcards

Nuclear Physics Flashcards

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1
Q

Describe the structure of an atom.

A

a positively charged nucleus and negatively charged electrons in orbit around the nucleus

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2
Q

How can atoms form positive ions?

A

losing electrons

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3
Q

How can atoms form negative ions?

A

gaining electrons

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4
Q

What is an experiment to support the nuclear model of the atom?

A

scattering of alpha particles by a sheet of thin metal

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5
Q

What does Rutherford’s Alpha Particle Scattering experiment prove?

A
  • there is a very small nucleus surrounded by mostly empty space
  • nucleus contains most of atom’s mass
  • positive nucleus
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6
Q

What is the nucleus composed of?

A

protons and neutrons

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7
Q

Relative charge of proton?

A

+1

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8
Q

Relative charge of neutron?

A

0

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9
Q

Relative charge of electron?

A

-1

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10
Q

What is the proton number?

A

number of protons found in the nucleus

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11
Q
A
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12
Q

The electron and proton numbers are equal in…

A

an atom (neutral)

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13
Q

The electron and proton numbers are unequal in…

A

ions (charged)

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14
Q

What is the nucleon number?

A

total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus

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15
Q

What is the mass number?

A

total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus

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16
Q

How can you calculate the number of neutrons in a nucleus?

A

nucleon number - proton number

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17
Q

What is the symbol A?

A

nucleon number

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18
Q

What is the symbol Z?

A

proton number

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19
Q

What is the symbol X?

A

element

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20
Q

What is the symbol for an element?

A

X

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21
Q

What is the symbol for nucleon number?

A

A

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22
Q

What is the symbol for proton number?

A

Z

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23
Q

What is an isotope?

A

atoms of the same element with the same number of protons and electrons, but different neutron numbers

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24
Q

What is an isotope, in terms of nucleon and proton numbers?

A

different nucleon number of the atoms, same proton number

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25
Q

Describe the process of nuclear fusion.

A

lighter nuclei collide with high energy and join to form a larger nucleus, releasing energy

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26
Q

What is the difference between nuclear fission and fusion?

A

nuclear fission - splitting of heavy nuclei
nuclear fusion - joining of 2 light nuclei

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27
Q

What is the nuclide equation for nuclear fusion?

A
  • you add the nucleon and proton numbers
  • total nucleon number is the same before and after
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28
Q

Describe the process of nuclear fission.

A
  • heavy nuclei are often unstable, so they break apart
  • either independently or if a neutron is fired into the large nucleus, triggering it to break apart
  • energy is released
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29
Q

What is the nuclide equation for nuclear fusion?

A
  • total nucleon number is conserved
    atom + neutron -> atom1 + atom2 + neutrons
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30
Q

Describe the mass and energy changes in nuclear fission and fusion.

A

they both release energy by decreasing mass slightly

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31
Q

How is energy released in nuclear fission/fusion?

A

decreasing mass slightly, typically around 0.1%

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32
Q

What is radioactivity?

A

the process by which an unstable nucleus becomes more stable

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33
Q

Which sources significantly contribute to background radiation?

A
  • radon gas in air
  • rocks and buildings
  • food and drink
  • cosmic rays
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34
Q

How can ionising nuclear radiation be measured?

A

using a detector connected to a counter

35
Q

A detector is connected to a counter to…

A

measure ionising nuclear radiation

36
Q

How is count rate measured?

A

counts/s or counts/minute

37
Q

How is the emission of radiation from a nucleus?

A

spontaneous and random in direction

38
Q

The _______ is spontaneous and random in direction.

A

emission of radiation from a nucleus

39
Q

What is an alpha particle?

A

helium nucleus

40
Q

What is an alpha particle’s ionising effects? Why?

A

highly ionising due to its large mass and charge

41
Q

What is an alpha particle’s penetrating abilities?

A
  • least penetrating
  • travel about 5 cm through air, stopped by materials such as thin paper or skin
42
Q

State the order of ionising effects of the three types of radiation.

A
  1. alpha
  2. beta
  3. gamma
43
Q

What is a beta particle?

A

a high-energy electron

44
Q

What is a beta particle’s ionising effects? Why?

A
  • mildly ionising
    -fast, large KE, although the mass is small
  • charge of -1
  • beta particles can still strip away electrons of other atoms they encounter
45
Q

What is a beta particle’s penetrating abilities?

A

can travel through skin, stopped by a few millimetres of aluminium

46
Q

What are gamma emissions?

A

high frequency electromagnetic waves

47
Q

What is gamma’s ionising effects? Why?

A
  • weakly ionising
  • they have no charge and no mass
48
Q

What is gamma’s penetrating abilities?

A

only stopped by several cm of lead (dense)

49
Q

Effect of a magnetic field on gamma

A

none

50
Q

Effect of a magnetic field INTO page on alpha

A

deflects slightly upwards

51
Q

Effect of a magnetic field OUT OF page on alpha

A

deflects slightly downwards

52
Q

Effect of a magnetic field INTO page on beta

A

deflects a lot downwards

53
Q

Effect of a magnetic field OUT OF page on beta

A

deflects a lot upwards

54
Q

Effect of an electric field on gamma

A

none

55
Q

Effect of an electric field on alpha

A

deflects towards negative side (less than beta)

56
Q

Effect of an electric field on beta

A

deflects towards positive side a lot

57
Q

Why do alpha only deflect slightly?

A

large mass compared to its charge

58
Q

Why do beta deflect a lot?

A

very small mass compared to its charge

59
Q

If a beta particle deflects upwards in a magnetic field, the field is….

A

out of the page

60
Q

If a beta particle deflects downwards in a magnetic field, the field is….

A

into the page

61
Q

If an alpha particle deflects upwards in a magnetic field, the field is….

A

into the page

62
Q

If an alpha particle deflects downwards in a magnetic field, the field is….

A

out of the page

63
Q

What is radioactive decay?

A

a change in an unstable nucleus that can result in the emission of alpha or beta and/or gamma

64
Q

What happens during alpha or beta decay?

A

the nucleus changes to that of a different element

65
Q

In what types of decay does the nucleus change to a different element?

A

alpha or beta decay

66
Q

Why may isotopes of an element be radioactive?

A

excess of neutrons in the nucleus/heavy nucleus

67
Q

What is the effect of alpha/beta decay and gamma emissions on the nucleus?

A
  • increased stability
  • reduced number of excess neutrons
68
Q

What happens in beta emission?

A

neutron -> proton + electron
- proton stays in the nucleus
- electron is the beta particle

69
Q

What is the decay equation like for alpha decay?

A

forms helium nucleus, element loses 4 in nucleon number and 2 in atomic number

70
Q

What is the decay equation like for beta decay?

A

an electron is ejected and the element gains 1 in atomic number

71
Q

What is the decay equation like for gamma decay?

A

element stays the same in nucleon/proton number but becomes more stable

72
Q

Define the half-life of a particular isotope.

A

time taken for half the nuclei of that isotope in any sample to decay

73
Q

State some effects of ionising nuclear radiation on living things.

A
  • cell death
  • mutations
  • cancer
74
Q

State some safety precautions for all ionising radiation.

A
  • reducing exposure time
  • distance
  • using shielding to absorb radiation
  • do not point sources at people
75
Q

How should you store alpha?

A
  • thin package as α-particles are weakly penetrating
  • protective clothing must still be worn when handling
76
Q

How should you store beta?

A

lead container

77
Q

How should you store gamma?

A

bury deep underground

78
Q

charge of alpha particles

A

+2

79
Q

State and describe one use of alpha particles

A

Smoke detectors - particles ionise the air and allow current to flow between positive and negative plates, with potential difference between them. when smoke is present, alpha particles collide with and are absorbed by smoke particles, so less current flows, causing the alarm to sound

80
Q

do gamma rays have mass and charge

A

nope nope nope

81
Q

state and describe a use of gamma rays

A

medical tracers - due to it being highly penetrating, it is easy to detect which areas of the body it has travelled. it is weakly ionising so it is not dangerous in small dose

82
Q

What is half life

A

Time taken for the count rate of a radioactive source to decrease by half

83
Q

What is the atomic number?

A

number of protons found in the nucleus

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