Radiation equations And Half Life

Question 1

What happens when a nucleus emits an alpha particle

Answer 1

(Decreases charge and mass of the nucleus )
Loses 2 protons and 2 neutrons

-the mass number decreases by 4
-atomic number decreases by 2

Question 2

Alpha radiation symbol

Answer 2

4
a
2

Question 3

What happens in beta minus decay

Answer 3

(Increases charge of nucleus) Neutron changes into a proton and an electron

-mass number doesn’t change
-the atomic number increases by 1

Question 4

Beta minus radiation symbol

Answer 4

0
B
-1

Question 5

What happens in a positron emission (beta plus)

Answer 5

(Decreases charge of nucleus)
proton changes into a neutron and a positron

-mass number doesn’t change
-atomic number decreases by 1

Question 6

Beta plus (positron) radiation symbol

Answer 6

0
B
1

Question 7

What happens in neutron emission

Answer 7

(Decreases mass of the nucleus )

-mass number decreases by 1
- atomic number stays the same

Question 8

Neutron radiation symbol

Answer 8

1
N
0

Question 9

What happens in gamma decay

Answer 9

Nothing changes

Question 10

How are radiation decay equations written

Answer 10

Atom before decay -> atom after decay + radiation emitted

Question 11

Short half life

Answer 11

-Activity falls quickly
-dangerous because of amount of radiation it emits

Question 12

Long half life

Answer 12

-activity falls slower
-dangerous because an area is exposed to radiation for a long amount of time

Question 13

Half life

Answer 13

Time taken for activity to halve
(The half life is the average time taken for the number of radioactive nuclei in an isotope to halve)