Radioactivity and Electricity

Question 1

What is a half-life?

Answer 1

The time taken for half of a nuclei in a sample to decay.

Question 2

What are Isotopes?

Answer 2

An element that has the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.

Question 3

What is nuclear decay?

Answer 3

The nuclei of some isotopes are unstable. This means they decay randomly and give off radiation.

Question 4

What are the three types of radiation?

Answer 4

Alpha, Gamma and Beta radiation

Question 5

What is Alpha radiation? When does it occur? What is it made of? What are the properties?

Answer 5

• Alpha radiation occurs when a nucleus is too big
• It is made of 2 protons and 2 neutrons
• Properties
  
  • small mass
  • double-positive charge
  • stops with paper and skin
  • travels 2cm in the air

Question 6

What is Beta radiation? When does it occur? What is it made of? What are the properties?

Answer 6

Beta radiation occurs when there are too many neutrons

it is made of one electron

Properties

single negative charge

cant go through a sheet of aluminum

travels 1m in the air

Question 7

What is Gamma radiation? When does it occur? What is it made of? What are the properties?

Answer 7

• Gamma radiation occurs when a nucleus has too much energy
• It is a wave of energy
• Properties:
  
  • no mass
  • no charge
  • mostly stopped by a thick piece of lead
  • Travels incredibly long distances

Question 8

What can radiation be?

Answer 8

Particles or electromagnetic radiation

Question 9

What are the 7 types

Question 10

What is a current?

Answer 10

A current is the rate of flow of charge

Question 11

What is a series circuit?

Answer 11

The current is the same at all points

Question 12

What is a parallel circuit?

Answer 12

The current splits at a junction

Question 13

How do you measure current?

Answer 13

T=Q÷t

T=current

Q=charge

t=time

Question 14

What is power and how is it measured?

Answer 14

The energy transferred per second

P=E÷t

P=power (w,kw)

E=energy (J,kwh)

t-time (s,ms)

Question 15

What is voltage and how is it measured?

Answer 15

Voltage is the energy carried (or used) by each coulomb of charge

V=E÷Q

V=voltage (v)

E=energy (J)

Q=charge (C)

Question 16

How is the battery voltage shared among different series?

Answer 16

In a series circuit, the battery voltage is shared among the components

In a parallel circuit, the battery voltage is shared among the components

Question 17

What is resistance and how do you measure it?

Answer 17

Resistance is a measure of how difficult it is for a current to flow

R=V÷I

R=resistance

V=voltage (V)

I=current (A)

Question 18

What is Ohms law?

Answer 18

A voltage across a resistor is proportional to a current through the resistor, provided the temperature is consistent.

Question 19

What are the units of electrical quantities?

Answer 19