P4-nuclear decay + radiation

Question 1

what does an alpha + beta particle look like? what are their properties

Answer 1

Alpha= 2 protons 2 neutrons
-4 on top
-2 below

beta= 1 electron
-0 on top
-(-1) below

Question 2

what is an isotope?

Answer 2

atoms have same number of protons and electrons but different number neutrons and therefore have different physical properties

Question 3

what is the charge of an Alpha, beta, gamma particle?

Answer 3

alpha= +2
beta=-1
gamma= 0

Question 4

what is a gamma ray?

Answer 4

electromagnetic waves which move at the speed of light

Question 5

what are Alpha, beta, gamma stopped by?

Answer 5

alpha= skin/paper
beta= 3mm of aluminium
gamma= thick lead/concrete

Question 6

what are Alpha, beta, gamma’s range in air?

Answer 6

alpha= 8cm
beta= 1m
gamma= 1km

Question 7

what are Alpha, beta, gamma ionisation power?

Answer 7

alpha= 10,000
beta= 100
gamma=1

Question 8

what is contamination

Answer 8

WHEN RADIOACTIVE PARTIClES GET ONTO OBJECTS, it comes about from touching radioactive substances.

Question 9

What is ionisation (+ it’s harm)?

Answer 9

occurs when electrons are removed from an atom. ionising radiation causes two types of harm to humans: TISSUE DAMAGE + CANCER

Question 10

what is irradiation?

Answer 10

when an object is EXPOSED to nuclear RADIATION but the object DOESN’T become radioactive, can be used to sterilise food, to kill bacteria.

Question 11

what is radioactive decay?

Answer 11

random process, we cannot predict when nucleus will decay

Question 12

nuclear decay?

Answer 12

particle emitted, effected on the number and atomic mass of decaying nucleus

Question 13

what happens to the atomic number and mass of a nucleus when a beta particle is emitted?

Question 14

what happens to the atomic number and mass of a nucleus when a alpha particle is emitted?

Question 15

what is half life?

Answer 15

the time taken for half of the radioactive nuclei in a sample to decay.