Terms (2) Flashcards
Parent
The original element in a nuclear reaction
Daughter
The element produced as a product of a nuclear reaction
Recoil of the Daughter
When the Daughter releases photons, (Radiation) decreasing the atoms energy (Radioactive Decay)
Particulate Radiation
A stream of atomic or subatomic particles that have mass, can be charged or not (alpha +, Beta -, Neutron)
Electromagnetic Radiation
Photons of energy with no mass and no charge (neutrons)
Alpha Particle (α)
- Two protons, Two neutrons (positive charge)
- Atomic mass of 1, total mass is 4
- slowest of ionizing radiation
- 4-9MeV
- Low penetration
- 5% speed of light
Beta Particle (β)
- same mass as an electron
- Negative charge
- 99.95% speed of light
- energy ranges from 0-maximum
- losses energy from collision with electrons
Neutron (n)
- high-energy
- released during Fission
- lost during Spontaneous Fission decay
- no charge
- absorbed by graphite or water
Neutrino (nu)
- no charge
- almost no mass
- interacts weakly
- created from the process of particle decay
Gamma Radiation (y)
Electromagnetic Radiation emitted from the Daughter after decay to rearrange and bring down high-energy (excited state)
- speed of light
- travels in straight line
- high penetration
energy of the Gamma Ray is the difference between energy before and after decay
Excited State
The state of a Daughter after radioactive decay, high-energy, wanting to rearrange to lower energy level
Half-lives
The time required for half of a specific isotopes atoms to decay
- Activity as it relates to time
Energy
Energy of radiations (Particulate and Electromagnetic) is based on energy released during decay
- More energy more penetration, more danger, more required shielding
- Expressed as KeV and MeV
- Energy does not change with activity, time or size
Characteristic Intensity
Measure of ionization of air
- dependant on decay process
- per hour per distance from source
- R/h, Ci/h, Bq/h, mSv/h/GigaBq
Shielding
Higher energy more shielding required.
