Nuclear Chemistry

Question 1

List sources of background radiation

Answer 1

Bananas, ground, buildings, granite, medical, cosmic rays, fallout

Question 2

Radioactive elements are…

Answer 2

Unstable isotopes
Undergo nuclear decay

Question 3

Types of decay?

Answer 3

Alpha
Beta
Gamma

Question 4

Alpha

Answer 4

Helium nucleus
2 protons 2 neutrons
Positive charge
4
2 He
Least penetrative
Stopped by paper
Weakly ionising

Question 5

Beta

Answer 5

Neutron splits into proton and electron
No mass
Negative charge
0.
-1 B
Stopped by aluminium

Question 6

Gamma, mass, charge,

Answer 6

No mass
No charge
High energy EM wave
0
0 y
Very penetrative
Stopped by lead/concrete

Question 7

Half life?

Answer 7

Time taken for the radioactivity to decrease by half
Cannot be changed

Question 8

Uses of radioisotopes

Answer 8

Archeology- age
Medicine- diagnosis or treatment
Electricity
Carbon dating

Question 9

Carbon dating is when…
How is it taken in?

Answer 9

N-14 undergoes neutron capture becomes C-14
Animals take it in from food
Plants from C02

Question 10

Carbon 14 and 12

Answer 10

Ratio is set, fixed in life. After death no food means C-14 decays, C-12 is fixed
Short HL

Question 11

Nuclear fission?
Releases?
Type of rxn?
Uranium?

Answer 11

Split particles apart, release heat, chain reaction
Uranium is bombarded with neutrons, it splits, runaway neutrons keep going and keep splitting

Question 12

Nuclear Fusion
Energy level?
Nuclei?
Duration?

Answer 12

Releases more energy than fission, light nuclei fuse to make heavy one
short in duration

Question 13

List radiation from most to least ionising

Answer 13

Alpha-highly
Beta-weakly
Gamma-weakly