Nuclear Physics- Radioactivity Flashcards
What’s an alpha particle made up of?
two protons and two neutrons
An alpha particle can also be called what?
a helium nucleus
True or False: when an element undergoes alpha decay it changes into another element
true
If Uranium becomes thorium during radiation, what sort of decay did it undergo?
alpha decay
when an element undergoes alpha decay its mass number goes ______ by ______
down by 4
when an element undergoes alpha decay its atomic number goes _______ by _______
down by 2
What’s an beta particle made of?
an electron
what charge does an alpha particle have?
+2
alpha particles’ energy is _____
low
alpha particles’ frequency is ______
low
alpha parrticles have ______ wavelengths
long
True or False: when an element undergoes beta decay it changes into another element
true
what charge does a beta particle have?
-1
what happens during beta decay?
a neutron becomes a proton and an electron is therefore expelled from the nucleus. It becomed a proton because one of it’s down quarks becomes an up quark
when an element undergoes beta decay its mass number _______
stays the same
when an element undergoes beta decay its atomic number goes _______ by _______
up by 1
beta particle’s energy is ______
medium
beta particles’ frequency is _______
medium
beta particles’ wavelength is _______
medium
what is gamma radioactivity composed of?
electromagnetic rays
True or False: Gamma decay produces particles
false
apart from rays, what else can gamma decay’s product be considered?
high energy photon
Why does gamma decay occur?
Redistribution of energy in the nucleus
Gamma rays energy is ________
high
