Nuclear Physics

Question 1

What charge do electrons have?

Answer 1

-1

Question 2

An electron is a fundamental particle, what does this mean?

Answer 2

It cannot be split up any further than it already is

Question 3

What is the nucleus made up of?

Answer 3

The proton and the neutron

Question 4

What charge does a proton have?

Answer 4

+1

Question 5

What charge does a neutron have?

Answer 5

0

Question 6

Are protons and neutrons fundamental particles? If not, what are they made up of?

Answer 6

They are not fundamental particles, and they are made up of quarks

Question 7

What is the nucleon number?

Answer 7

The number of protons and neutrons

Question 8

What is the proton number?

Answer 8

The number of protons in the atom

Question 9

What is the proton number equal to?

Answer 9

The electron number

Question 10

What are isotopes?

Answer 10

Nuclei of the same element (so the same number of protons) but have a different number of neutrons

Question 11

What are radio isotopes?

Answer 11

Isotopes that are unstable and will spontaneously give off nuclear radiation

Question 12

What are the 3 types of nuclear radiation?

Answer 12

• alpha (looks like a fish)
• beta (ß)
• gamma (➰)

Question 13

What do the 3 types of radiation have in common?

Answer 13

They all spontaneously give off radiation
None of our human sense organs can detect them
They are all IONISING radiation

Question 14

What is alpha radiation? What is their mass, charge and how ionising is it?

Answer 14

Helium nuclei, mass of 4, charge of +2 and the most ionising

Question 15

How penetrative is alpha radiation?

Answer 15

Least penetrative, absorbed by a few sheets of paper

Question 16

What are beta particles? What is their mass, charge and how ionising are they?

Answer 16

Beta particles are high energy electrons. Their masses are very small and have a charge of -1. They are moderately ionising

Question 17

How penetrative is beta particle?

Answer 17

can be absorbed by a few mm of aluminium

Question 18

What is gamma radiation? What is it’s mass, charge and how ionising is it?

Answer 18

Gamma radiation is high energy electro magnetic radiation. Has no mass, no charge and is the least ionising

Question 19

How penetrative is gamma radiation?

Answer 19

The most penetrative. Can be absorbed by a few mm of concrete

Question 20

What is the conservation of charge?

Answer 20

Total charge before process = total charge after process

Question 21

What is the conservation of the nucleon number?

Answer 21

Total number of nucleons before = total number of nucleons after

Question 22

What is the unit of radioactivity?

Answer 22

The becquerel (Bq)

Question 23

What 2 things does the activity of a simple of radioactive material depend on?

Answer 23

1) what type of a radioisotope it is

2) how many nuclei are present

Question 24

What type of graph is a radioactivity graph?

Answer 24

An exponential curve

Question 25

What is half life?

Answer 25

The average time taken for the activity of a radioisotope to fall by affector of 2

Question 26

Give an use of alpha radiation

Answer 26

Smoke alarms and smoke detection

Question 27

Give a use of gamma radiation

Answer 27

Sterilising medical equipment

Question 28

How do you figure out the neutron number

Answer 28

Nucleon number - proton number

Question 29

What are the 2 types of nuclear power?

Answer 29

Fission and fusion

Question 30

What is nuclear fission? Where does it occur?

Answer 30

Happens in nuclear power stations and in nukes, SPLITTING very high mass nuclei with release of energy

Question 31

What is nuclear fusion? Where does it occur?

Answer 31

Occurs in stars and makes the sun shine. Also in Hydrogen bombs. Made by joining low mass nuclei with the release of energy

Question 32

What safety precautions must yiu take when handling nuclear products?

Answer 32

• don’t eat or drink around them
• never put them in your pockets
• use tongs, don’t point at anyone
• store in lead shielded boxes