P4 Atomic Structure Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 3 types of radiation?

A

Alpha, beta, gamma

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2
Q

What does an alpha particle consist of?

A

2 protons, 2 neutrons

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3
Q

What does a beta particle consist of?

A

An electron

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4
Q

What does gamma radiation consist of?

A

Waves

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5
Q

What is the charge of alpha radiation?

A

+2

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6
Q

What is the charge of beta radiation?

A

-1

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7
Q

What is the charge of gamma radiation?

A

0

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8
Q

What is the range in air of alpha radiation?

A

A few cm

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9
Q

What is the range in air of beta radiation?

A

A few m

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10
Q

What is the range in air of gamma radiation?

A

Kilometres

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11
Q

What is alpha radiation absorbed by?

A

Paper

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12
Q

What is beta radiation absorbed by?

A

A few cm Aluminium

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13
Q

What is gamma radiation absorbed by?

A

A few cm Lead OR metres of concrete

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14
Q

What is the ionising power of alpha radiation?

A

High

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15
Q

What is the ionising power of beta radiation?

A

Medium

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16
Q

What is the ionising power of gamma radiation?

A

Low

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17
Q

Name 3 safety precautions to take when handling radioactive sources:

A
  1. Keep tool in a lead box to stop gamma spreading
  2. Sources handled at arm’s length and pointed at ground
  3. Audience stands back - greater distance, less exposure
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18
Q

What is ionising radiation?

A

Radiation which can ‘knock’ electrons off of atoms which is what makes it dangerous

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19
Q

Give 3 uses of radiation?

A
  1. Target cells to treat tumours
  2. Radioactive tracer
  3. Automatic thickness monitoring (beta particles)
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20
Q

What are gamma rays?

A

Very high frequency electromagnetic waves

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21
Q

When are gamma rays produced?

A

When an unstable nucleus loses energy

22
Q

What is the greek letter for gamma radiation?

A

ɣ

23
Q

What is a beta particle?

A

A high speed electron

24
Q

Where do beta particles come from?

A

A nucleus where a neutron has decayed into an electron and a proton

25
Q

What is the greek letter for beta radiation?

A

β

26
Q

What is an alpha parrticle?

A

The same as a Helium nucleus - 2 protons, 2 neutrons

27
Q

What is the greek letter for alpha radiation?

A

α

28
Q

What is radioactivity?

A

Radioactive atoms with unstable nuclei

29
Q

Why do unstable nuclei decay?

A

To become more stable - emits radiation

30
Q

How do you predict radioactive decay?

A

You can’t - it is a random event

31
Q

What is the count rate?

A

The number of decays recorded each second by a detector (eg.a Geiger-Muller Tube)

32
Q

What is the activity?

A

The rate at which a stable nuclei decays

33
Q

What are activity and count rate measured in?

A

Becquerels

34
Q

What is the equation for count rate?

A

No. of emissions / Time (s) - background radiation

35
Q

What is the half-life?

A

The time it takes for the number of nuclei in a sample to halve OR for the count rate for an isotope in a sample to fall to 1/2 its initial value

36
Q

Who first talked about atoms in 440 BC?

A

Democritus

37
Q

What does ‘atom’ mean in Greek?

A

No cut

38
Q

What did John Dalton say in 1800s?

A

Different elements have different atoms. Imagined these as indivisible spheres

39
Q

What did J.J. Thompson say in 1898?

A

Discovered electrons. Developed Plum Pudding Model - electrons randomly embedded in a ball of positive charge

40
Q

Who developed the Plum Pudding Model?

A

J.J. Thompson

41
Q

What did Rutherford say in 1908?

A

Alpha scattering - fired alpha particles at gold foil to discover nucleus.

42
Q

Who developed the nuclear model?

A

Earnest Rutherford

43
Q

What did Neils Bohr say in 1913?

A

Electrons found in shells and charge concentrated in centre of atom

44
Q

What did James Chadwick say in 1939?

A

Discovered the neutron and added to the nucleus

45
Q

What is nuclear fission?

A

Splitting a nucleus (often Uranium) into 2 or more daughter nuclei and 2 - 3 neutrons moving at high speeds - energy released as gamma waves

46
Q

What is nuclear fusion?

A

Forming of 2 smaller atomic nuclei to form a larger one. Some mass converted into energy.

47
Q

Give an example of alpha decay:

A

238 92 U –> 234 90 Th + 4 2 α

48
Q

How is alpha decay calculated:

A

4 from mass number, 2 from atomic number (4 from top, 2 from base)

49
Q

Give an example of beta decay:

A

14 6 C –> 14 7 N + 0 -1 β

50
Q

How is beta decay calculated:

A

Mass number stays same, add 1 to atomic number (Add one to base, top stays same)

51
Q

What happens in beta decay?

A

A neutron turns into a proton (too many neutrons in a nucleus). Proton comes with a +1 charge. Also forms a -1 electron to balance charge. Electron booted out of the nucleus as can’t stay there (electrons orbit in shells)