Radioactivity Flashcards
What is the composition of an alpha particle?
2 protons and 2 neutrons
What is a beta particle?
An electron
What is the name of the device used to measure radiation?
Geiger Counter
How many protons and neutrons are there in 60/27Co?
27 protons, 33 neutrons
What is an isotope?
An atom with the same atomic number but a different mass number, same number of protons, different number of neutrons
What is the mass number, number of protons, atomic number and number of neutrons in 241/95Am?
95 protons, 146 neutrons, atomic number of 95, mass number of 241
What is the process of beta decay within a radioactive nucleus?
A neutron transmutes into a proton and electron and the electron is ejected as a beta particle
After beta decay what happens to the numbers of protons and electrons?
You begin with one more neutron than you end with but gain one more proton.
What is meant by the atomic number of an atom?
The number of protons in the nucleus
What is meant by the mass number of an atom?
The number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus
What is the difference between a stable and radioactive isotope of the same element?
Both are atoms of the same element, with varying numbers of neutrons, but radioactive isotopes contains a certain number of neutrons that makes it unstable
Does gamma radiation result in a new element?
No new element is formed
What is the half life of a radioactive material?
The time taken for half of the radioactive nuclei in the sample to decay
