Radioactivity Flashcards
What is radioactivity?
Radioactivity is the spontaneous breaking up of unstable nuclei with the emission of one or more type of radiation.
What is a nuclear reaction?
A nuclear reaction is a process that alters the composition, structure or energy of an atomic nucleus
What happens when an atom loses an alpha particle?
2
It changes into an atom of the element two places before it in the periodic table
The mass number of the parent atom decreases by four
What happens when an atom loses a beta particle?
2
It changes into an atom of the element one place after it in the periodic table
The mass number of the parent atom stays the same
What is the half-life of an element?
The time taken for half of the nuclei in any given sample to decay
What is a radioisotope?
A radioisotope is a radioactive isotope
What is radiocarbon dating (carbon dating)?
Radiocarbon dating (carbon dating) is a technique used to determine the age of an object containing carbon
It is based on the ratio of carbon-14 to carbon-12 in the object
