Radioactivity Flashcards
unstable isotopes
can undergo radioactive decay
- emitting something so it can become
more stable
Atomic theory
Everything was made from tiny particles that could not be broken down any further and have gaps between them
What are the 4 types of nuclear radiations
- alpha particle
- beta particles
- gamma particles
- neutrons
What are alpha particle made up of?
2 protons and 2 neutrons (helium nuclei)
Why cant alpha particles penetrate very far into other materials?
relatively large
Why is alpha radiation ionising?
particles can easily knock electrons off of any atoms they collide with as they’re strong charged and large
What are beta particles made up from?
electrons
How are electrons emmited?
neutron decay into proton and electron which emits out at high speed
What are gamma rays?
electromagnet radiation release from nucleus
Activity
overall rate of decay of all the isotopes in our sample
1 becquerels
1 decay per second
Half-life
The time take for the number of radioactive nuclei in a sample to halve
