Radioactivity Flashcards
Define radioactivity
Spontaneous breaking of unstable nuclei of an atom with the emission of one or more types of radiation
Define radioisotope
radioactive isotope
What happens to the Alpha particles when the nucleus becomes more stable?
It is thrown out of the nucleus of a radioactive element as it changes to a more stable nucleus.
How many Protons and Neutrons are in an alpha particle?
There are two protons and two neutrons stuck together.
What positive charge do they carry?
A double positive charge and may be represented as 4/2He.
Give an example of an alpha emitter.
Americium-241
What is americium-241 used in?
Smoke detectors
What happens to the Beta particles when the nucleus becomes more stable?
Neutrons in an unstable atom changes to protons and electrons. The electrons are then ejected from the nucleus.
What is beta radiation?
It is electrons.
How does Gamma radiation travel?
Travels in waves
unstable nucleus emits gamma rays in order to lose surplus energy
most dangerous/ high
Example-Cobalt 60(cancer)
What type of high radiation?
High electromagnetic radiation
define and explain half-life
the half-life of an element is the time taken for half the nuclei in any given to decay
State three uses of radioactivity, including food irradiation and the use of Carbon60 for cancer treatment
Medical uses-cobalt 60 kills cancer
Archaeological- carbon 14 for cabin dating
industrial-radioisotope added to pipes to find leaks
distinguish between a chemical reaction and a nuclear reaction
Chemical/Nuclear
no new element formed/new element formed
no release f nuclear radiation/ release of nuclear radiation
chemical bonds broken + formed/no bods breaking or formation
name a device used to detect radiation
geiger-muller tube
Elaborate on how Alpha radiation takes place relating to nuclear rections
an atom loses an alpha particle it changes into an atom two placed before it on the periodic table. the mass number decreases by 4
what change takes place in an atom when beta decay occurs
an atom loses an beta particle it changes in an atom one place after it on the periodic table. the mass number stays the same
How is the rate of decay measured?
by half life
What is an isotope?
Atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons
Name 3 types of radiation
alpha, beta, gamma
what is carbon dating
a scientific method of determining the age of an artifact
give an example of a beta emitter
carbon 14
give an example of a gamma emitter
cobalt 60
describe the ionizing ability of the particles
alpha-strong
beta-moderate
gamma-weak
Who were the three main scientists that researched radiation?
- Henri Becquerel
- Pierre Curie
- Marie Curie
What where the two elements that Marie and Pierre Curie discovered?
Polonium and Radium.
