P P1 - Atomic Structure

Question 1

What is contamination? (in physics)

Answer 1

In physics, contamination is the unwanted presence of radioactive atoms

Question 2

What is irradiation?

Answer 2

Irradiation is when a person has been exposed to a radioactive source

Question 3

What is a sievert?

Answer 3

A sievert is a unit measuring dose of radiation

Question 4

What are the three most common types of radiation?

Answer 4

The three most common types of radiation are alpha (strongest), beta and gamma (weakest) (a,b,y)

Question 5

What is the role of fuel rods?

Answer 5

Fuel rods are long and thin to allow neutrons to escape and hit nuclei

Question 6

What is the role of control rods?

Answer 6

Controls rods control the rate of reaction. The boron which it is made of absorbs excess neutrons

Question 7

What is nuclear fission?

Answer 7

Nuclear fission is when one large unstable nucleus splits to make two smaller nuclei

Question 8

What is nuclear fusion?

Answer 8

Nuclear fusion is when two small nuclei join to make one large nucleus

Question 9

What is the radius of an atom?

Answer 9

The radius of an atom is 1 x 10 metres to the power of -10

Question 10

What is the range of alpha radiation?

Answer 10

Alpha radiation has a short range of a few cm

Question 11

What is the range of beta radiation?

Answer 11

Beta radiation has a medium range of a few m

Question 12

What is the range of gamma radiation?

Answer 12

Gamma radiation has a long-range

Question 13

What is an isotope?

Answer 13

An isotope is the same atom with the same number of protons but different number of neutrons

Question 14

What is the alpha scattering experiment?

Answer 14

The alpha scattering experiment was done by Rutherford which lead to the discovery of the atom. The process consisted of an alpha source that radiated alpha particles at a thin gold foil with a detector behind it. Rutherford found that some alpha particles went through the foil, some alpha particles reflected and some alpha particles deflected in different directions

Question 15

What conclusions were made from the alpha scattering experiment?

Answer 15

The alpha scattering experiment came to the follwing conclusions:
If the atoms went straight through the foil, that means the atoms are mostly empty
If the atoms were reflected, that means it has hit the dense part ie the nucleus
If the atoms were deflected in different directions, that was because the alpha particles were repelled by the positive nucleus

Question 16

What is radioactivity?

Answer 16

Radioactivity is the decay of an unstable atom

Question 17

What is alpha radiation?

Answer 17

Alpha radiation is where the nucleus gives off an alpha particle

Question 18

What is beta radiation?

Answer 18

Beta radiation is where the nucleus gives off a high-speed beta particle (B-)(an electron)

Question 19

How do atoms eject electrons?

Answer 19

Atoms eject electrons when a neutron breaks down a proton (which stays in the nucleus) and an electron ( which is then ejected)

Question 20

If an atom has lost a subatomic particle, what happens?

Answer 20

If atoms have lost or gained subatomic particle/s then they become a new atom that has that new atomic number and atomic mass. For example, if Carbon gains an electron, it will become Nitrogen (14, 6 to 14, 7)