Unit 8 - Nuclear Physics Flashcards
What 3 things happened during the Rutherford Gold Foil Experiment?
- Majority of alpha particles passed straight through
- Some particles were deflected at angles less than 90 degrees
- Some particles were deflected at angles greater than 90 degrees
How did Rutherford measure the angles at which the alpha particles were deflected?
He set up a flourescent screen and alpha particles would emit flashes of light when they came into contact with it
What is a scintillation?
A flash of light
What was the existing theory behind the structure of atoms at the time Rutherford conducted his experiment?
The ‘plum pudding’ model
What 3 conclusions were made from Rutherford’s experiment?
- The atom was mostly empty space
- The positive charge in an atom is highly
concentrated in the centre of the atom - The positive charge of the atoms has a large mass
What is the relationship between the nucleus radius and the nucleon number?
They are directly proportional
What percentage of atoms were deflected at an angle greater than 90 degrees in Rutherford’s experiment?
1/100000000
What three types of radiation are most commonly emitted during radioactive decay?
Alpha, beta or gamma
Why does gamma radiation often accompany alpha or beta decay?
Because the nucleus is left in an excited state
