Radioactive Decay Flashcards
What is Radioactive Decay?
Radioactive Decay is the spontaneous breakdown of an atomic nucleus resulting in the release of energy and matter from the nucleus.
What is a Radioisotope?
A radioactive isotope that has an unstable nucleus that does not have enough binding energy to hold the nucleus together.
What is the rule for Stable Atoms?
Any atom with an Atomic Mass greater than 208 will be unstable.
What is Alpha Radiation?
Radiation which contains particles with 2 protons, 2 neutrons, and 0 electrons.
What charge does Alpha Radiation have?
+2 charge.
What is Beta Radiation?
Radiation which is the emission of high-energy, high-speed electrons or positrons.
What is Gamma Radiation?
Radiation which is the emission of electromagnetic radiation of an extremely high frequency. It consists of high-energy photons.
