P2.3-P2.6 Flashcards
(139 cards)
What’s the mass of a proton?
1
What’s the mass of a neutron?
1
What’s the mass of an electron?
~0
1/2000
What’s the charge of a proton?
+1
What’s the charge of a neutron?
0
What’s the charge of an electron?
-1
Where are the protons in the atom?
Inside the nucleus
Where are the neutrons in the atom?
Inside the nucleus
Where are the electrons in the atom?
Orbiting the nucleus
What does the atomic number of an element represent?
Number of protons (or electrons) in a neutral atom of an element
What does the mass number of an element represent?
Protons+neutrons
What’s an ion?
A pos. or neg. charged particle
What do isotopes of an element have in common with each other?
Same atomic number
same number of protons
What are the differences between isotopes of an element?
Different mass numbers
diff. number of neutrons
What was Rutherford’s experiment with alpha particles?
Alpha particles were fired at a sheet of gold leaf
Particles came off at diff. angles
(most passed through, some deviated, some deflected)
What was the plum pudding model of the atom, accepted before Rutherford’s findings?
Atom= sphere of pos. charged w/ neg. charged electrons dotted within it
What is the expectation that Rutherford had for his experiment?
The alpha particles would smash through the gold leaf like a canon through tissue paper
What is the explanation for Rutherford’s results?
The plum pudding model of the atom was not correct
The atom must have a small dense positive centre
(must be small- the maj. of particles went through undeflected)
Back scatterring- repelled because alpha particles and nucleui are both neg. charged
What is radioactive decay?
When an unstable nucleus breaks down and emits one of 3 types of ionising radiation
What are the 3 types of ionising radiation?
Alpha particles
Beta particles
Gamma waves
Where does the majority of background radiation come from?
Radon gas- from rocks in the ground
What is a half-life of a radioactive element?
The time it takes for the activity to reduce by a half
What are some sources of background radiation?
Rocks- radon gas
Cosmic rays
Medical uses
Living things (absorb radiation from soil)
What happens if ionising radiation gets into living tissue?
It will ionise the atoms that make up DNA and cause mutations