RAdioactivity 2 Flashcards
What is Fluorine-18 used for?
It is used in PET scans for diagnostic imaging.
What is nuclear fission?
The splitting of a heavy nucleus into smaller nuclei, releasing energy and neutrons.
What is the difference between fission and fusion?
Fission involves splitting heavy nuclei, while fusion involves combining light nuclei to form heavier ones.
What is an example of a fission reaction?
Uranium-235 (²³⁵U) splits into Barium-141 (¹⁴¹Ba) and Krypton-92 (⁹²Kr) when bombarded with neutrons.
How does a nuclear reactor work?
Nuclear fuel (e.g., Uranium-235) undergoes controlled fission, producing heat to generate steam, which drives turbines to produce electricity.
What is radioactive nuclear transformation?
The process by which unstable nuclei decay into more stable forms, emitting radiation (e.g., alpha, beta, gamma decay).
What is an example of a radioactive decay chain?
Uranium-238 (²³⁸U) decays through a series of transformations to stable Lead-206 (²⁰⁶Pb).
What is the role of control rods in a nuclear reactor?
They absorb excess neutrons to regulate the fission reaction.
What is the branching ratio in radioactive decay?
The probability of a nuclide decaying through a specific pathway.
What is the significance of gamma rays in medicine?
They are used in imaging (e.g., SPECT scans) and cancer treatment (e.g., radiotherapy).
What is the difference between a stable and unstable nuclide?
Stable nuclides do not undergo radioactive decay, while unstable nuclides decay to become more stable.
