Nuclear Radiation Flashcards
What is radioactive decay?
The process in which unstable atomic nuclei break apart or change releasing radiation as they do so.
What happen if the nucleus is unstably large?
It will emit a ‘package’ of two protons and two neutrons called and alpha particle.
What is an alpha particle?
An alpha particle is a helium 4 nucleus.
What does alpha decay cause the mass and atomic number to do?
It causes the mass number to decrease by 4 and the atomic number of the nucleus to decrease by 2.
What happens if the nucleus has to many neutrons?
A neutron will turn into a proton and emit a fast moving electron. The electron is known as beta minus particle and this process is know as beta minus decay.
How can the beta particle be written?
It can be written as 0 on top of -1e
What does beta decay cause the mass and atomic number to do?
Increases the atomic number by one and the mass number remains the same.
What is the difference between beta + and - decay?
In beta plus Decay the proton will turn into and neutrons rather than a neutron into a proton.
What beta plus decay cause on the atomic number?
It causes it to decrease by one
What is the excess energy of a nucleus emitted as?
Gamma rays
What is the symbol, penetrating power, ionising power and the distance a alpha particle can travel.
Alpha
Skin/paper
High
< 5 centimetre
What is the penetrating power, ionising power and the distance a beta particle can travel.
Beta 3 mm aluminium foil Low ≈ 1 metre (m)
what is the symbol, penetrating power, ionising power and how far gamma rays can travel in the air.
Gamma
Lead/concrete
Very low
> 1 kilometre (km)
What can detect radioactive decay?
Geiger-muller tube (G M tube)
What is a positron?
A positron is the antimatter version of an electron.
