Types of Radioactivity Flashcards

1
Q

What is a nuclide?

A

A specific isotope of an element

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2
Q

What is alpha decay?

A

When an unstable/radioactive isotope emits two protons and two neutrons (He-4)

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3
Q

What is a nuclear equation?

A

An equation representing different nuclear processes (e.g., radioactivity), it looks a bit like a balanced equation

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4
Q

What is a parent nuclide?

A

The original isotope

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5
Q

What is a daughter nuclide?

A

The product of decay

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6
Q

What is ionizing power?

A

The ability of radiation to ionize other molecules and atoms (e.g., alpha particles have the highest ionizing power)

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7
Q

What is penetrating power?

A

The ability of radiation to enter other molecules and atoms (e.g., alpha particles have the lower penetrating power because the particle is large)

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8
Q

What is beta decay?

A

When an unstable/radioactive isotope emits an electron by changing a neutron to a proton, causing the atomic number to increase by one

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9
Q

What is gamma ray emission?

A

The emission of a short wavelength wave of photons from an excited particle (e.g., a particle undergoing alpha or beta decay)

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10
Q

What is a metastable state?

A

An unstable state that can exist for a prolonged period of time (until a gamma ray is emitted)

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11
Q

What is a positron?

A

A particle that is equal in mass but opposite in charge to an electron

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12
Q

What causes an isotope to emit a positron?

A

A proton change to a neutron and a positron is emitted to neutralize its charge, causing the atomic mass to decrease by one

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13
Q

What is electron capture?

A

When an unstable/radioactive element moves an electron from its inner orbital to an outer orbital, resulting in the proton transforming into a neutron because there is now an opposing negative charge to its positive charge, decreasing atomic number

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