Nuclear Physics Flashcards
What is the mass defect?
The mass defect of a nucleus is defined as the difference between the mass of the separated nucleons and the combined mass of the nucleus.
What is nuclear fission?
Nuclear fission is the disintegration of a heavy nucleus into two lighter nuclei of approximately equal masses.
What is nuclear fusion?
Nuclear fusion is the combining of the two light nuclei to produce a heavier nucleus.
What is radioactive decay
Radioactive decay is the spontaneous disintegration of the nucleus of an atom which results in the emission of particles.
What is meant by background radiation
Background radiation refers to ionising radiation emitted from a variety of natural and artificial radiation sources.
Define half life
Half-life is defined as the time taken for half the original number of radioactive nuclei to decay.
