Topic 4- atomic structure Flashcards
What are isotopes of an element
Atoms with the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons
What is the mass number
Protons plus neutrons
What is the atomic number
Number of protons
What do unstable isotopes tend to do
D… into other e… and give out r… to try and become more s….
Decay into other elements and give lit radiation to try and become more stable
What does ionising radiation do
Removes e.. from atoms creating p… i…
Removes electrons from atoms creating positive ions
What happens during alpha radiation
-an a… particle (… neutrons and 2 p…) is emitted from the n…
-an alpha particle (2 neutrons and 2 protons) is emitted from the nucleus
What is an alpha particle
-2 … and .. p…
-don’t penetrate far
-stopped by a sheet of …
-… ionising
-2 neutrons and 2 protons
-don’t penetrate far
-stopped by a sheet of paper
-strongly ionising
What is a beta particle
-A fast-moving e… released by the n…
-they have almost no …
-have a charge of …
-they are moderately ….
-they p… moderately far
-stopped by a sheet of a…
-A fast-moving electron released by the nucleus
-they have almost no mass
-have a charge of -1
-they are moderately ionising
-they penetrate moderately far
-stopped by a sheet of aluminium
What are gamma rays
-a type of … radiation released by the …
-they penetrate …
-… ionising
-stopped by … sheet of …
-a type of electromagnetic radiation released by the nucleus
-they penetrate far
-weakly ionising
-stopped by thick sheet of lead
Alpha/beta/gamma
Least ionising:
Medium ionising:
Most ionising:
Low penetration:
Medium penetration:
High penetration:
Least ionising: gamma
Medium ionising: beta
Most ionising: alpha
Low penetration: alpha
Medium penetration: beta
High penetration: gamma
Alpha charge:
Beta charge:
Gamma charge:
Alpha charge: 2+
Beta charge: -1
Gamma charge: no charge
Alpha mass:
Beta mass:
Gamma mass:
Alpha mass: relatively large
Beta mass: no mass
Gamma mass: no mass
What is alpha, beta and gamma made of
Alpha: 2 protons 2 neutrons
Beta: electrons
Gamma: waves of electromagnetic radiation
what is irradiation
the process by which … are e… to …
the process by which objects are exposed to radiation
what is contamination
when r… particles get onto other o…
when radio active particles get onto other objects
what harm does ionising radiation cause to humans
- can enter … cells and interact with the m… inside
- this can ionise … causing …
- can lead to cells … uncontrollably
- can lead to …
- can enter living cells and interact with the molecules inside
- this can ionise DNA causing mutations
- can lead to cells dividing uncontrollably
- can lead to cancer
ways of mnimising radiation
-wear … gear
-minimise how … you are … to it
-keeping things in …-lined …
-standing behind …barriers
-wear protective gear
-minimise how long you are exposed to it
-keeping things in lead-lined containers
-standing behind protective barriers
most harmful inside the body
alpha, beta, gamma
most harmul outside the body
beta/gamma, alpha
what affects how much radiation you recieve
-how far … you are from the s…
-how … you are … to it
-how r… the substance is
-how far away you are from the source
-how long you are exposed to it
-how radioactuve the substance is
equation for alpha decay
4
He
2
what happens during aplha decay
it looses 2protons and 2 neutrons, -4 from mass no. -2 from atomic no.
equation during beta decay
0
B
-1
what happens during beta decay
- a n…decays into and … and a …
-the electron is lost as a … particle
the proton is … - …no. stays same
- +…to the atomic no.
- a neutron decays into and electron and a proton
-the electron is lost as a beta particle
the proton is gained - mass no. stays same
- +1 to the atomic no.
