Stable and unstable nuclei Flashcards
What are the protons and neutrons in the nucleus held by?
The protons and neutrons in the nucleus are incredibly close and have very strong forces holding them together.
What are radioactive isotopes or radioisotopes?
The isotopes of any element that fall outside the “band of stability” will have unstable nuclei. We call these radioactive isotopes or radioisotopes.
What is the radioactive decay process?
Unstable nuclei break down spontaneously, emitting different types of radioactive particles or rays until they attain stability. This is called the radioactive decay process.
Is radiation present in the environment?
Radiation is present quite naturally in our environment. It bombards us from space in the form of cosmic rays.
Give four examples of where radioactive atoms can be found.
In the air we breathe.
In the food, we eat.
In the rocks around us.
in building materials.
What is background radiation?
Radiation from natural sources is called background radiation.
Give two examples of artificial radioactive sources.
Medical sources.
Nuclear power stations.
How can neutrons become more stable?
Decreasing the mass can make the nucleus more stable.
What is an alpha particle(α)?
one way the mass can be decreased is by emitting 2 protons + 2 neutrons, a helium nucleus. We refer to this as an alpha particle(α).
What is a beta particle (β)?
A nucleus may have too many neutrons. A neutron may split into a positive proton and emit a high-energy electron. This nuclear electron is a beta particle (β).
What is gamma radiation(γ)?
Sometimes a nucleus can become more stable by emitting energy that is not a particle. This is a type of electromagnetic radiation known as gamma rays, or gamma radiation (γ).
