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Physics - Real One > P6.1 - Radioactive Emissions > Flashcards

P6.1 - Radioactive Emissions Flashcards

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1
Q

What are subatomic particles

A

Particles from which an atom is made

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2
Q

What is the relative mass of a proton

A

1

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3
Q

What is the relative mass of a neutron

A

1

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4
Q

What is the relative mass of an electron

A

0.0005

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5
Q

What does the charge on the nucleus depend on?

A

The number of protons in it

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6
Q

Why do the nuclei of different elements have different masses

A

Atoms of an element can have different numbers of neutrons.

Neutrons don’t have a charge (they are neutral) so they change the mass of the nucleus without changing the charge

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7
Q

What are isotopes

A

Atoms of an element with different numbers of neutrons but the same number of protons and electrons

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8
Q

What is the mass number

A

The number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom

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9
Q

What is the atomic number

A

The number of protons in the nucleus

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10
Q

How do you calculate the number of neutrons in the nucleus

A

Mass number - atomic number

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11
Q

What does the 12 in carbon-12 represent

A

The total number of subatomic particles in the nucleus

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12
Q

What is a stable isotope?

A

An isotope that is not radioactive

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13
Q

What do unstable nuclei emit?

A

Radiation

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14
Q

What is an alpha particle (include symbol and equation)

A

It is the nucleus of a helium atom

Symbol: a

Equation : 4
He
2

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15
Q

What is a beta particle (include symbol and equation)

A

It is a fast moving electron

Symbol: ß

Equation 0
e
-1

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16
Q

What is gamma radiation (include symbol and equation)

A

It is an electromagnet wave

Symbol : Y

Equation : none

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17
Q

What is a neutron (include symbol and equation)

A

It is a particle in the nucleus

Symbol : n

Equation 1
n
0

18
Q

A nucleus does not contain electrons so where does the beta particle come from

A

Neutrons can decay to make a proton and an electron

19
Q

What can you use to detect radiation

A

A Geiger counter

20
Q

How does a Geiger counter work

A

It clicks when radiation enters it

Each click is a tiny current that is produced when the radiation ionises atoms of the gas inside the tube

21
Q

What is penetrating power?

A

It is the ability of radiation to travel through a material

22
Q

Which is the most penetrating alpha beta or gamma?

A

Gamma

23
Q

What material stops alpha radiation

A

Paper

Skin

24
Q

What material stops beta radiation

A

Aluminium

25
Q

What stops gamma radiation?

A

A few cm of lead

A few m of concrete

However some gamma radiation still can get through

26
Q

What is ionising radiation

A

It is Radiation emitted by radioactive material

It can remove electrons from its atoms to produce positively charged ions

27
Q

Which has the most ionising power alpha beta or gamma radiation

A

Alpha

28
Q

Which has the least ionising power alpha beta or gamma radiation?

A

Gamma

29
Q

Write the equation for the alpha decay of the nucleus for Pu-240

A

240 236 4
Pu —> U + He
94. 92 2

30
Q

What happens in alpha decay?

A

Two protons and two neutrons join to form an alpha particle

This is then emitted from the nucleus

31
Q

What happens in beta decay?

A

A neutron decays for a proton and an electron

The electron is emitted as a beta particle

The number of neutrons goes down by one

The number of protons goes up by 1

32
Q

Write the equation for the beta decay of the nucleus of C-14

A

14 14 0
C —> N + e
6 7 -1

33
Q

What happens in gamma decay

A

Gamma rays are electromagnet waves so they don’t have mass or charge

They are usually emitted alongside alpha and beta decay

34
Q

What happens in neutron emission ?

A

When some nuclei decay they produce nuclei with large numbers of neutrons.

These nuclei can emit neutrons to make the nucleus more stable

35
Q

Write the equation for the neutron emission of He-5

A

5 4 1
He —> He + n
2 2 0

36
Q

What is activity

A

It is the number of decays per second

37
Q

What unit is activity measured in

A

Becquerels (Bq)

38
Q

What is half life

A

The time it takes for the activity to half

The time for the nuclei of half the atoms ri decay

39
Q

Decay is random, half life if constant

A

True

40
Q

What happens to the atoms that decay

A

If they emit alpha or beta particles they change to the atom of a different element and eventually they become stable

Physics - Real One (12 decks)

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