radioactive decay

Question 1

4 types of nuclear radiation

Answer 1

alpha, beta , gamma and neutrons

Question 2

what is background radiation

Answer 2

radiation that is always present, it is in very small amounts therefore not harmful

Question 3

4 sources of background radiation

Answer 3

rocks, cosmic rays from space, nuclear weapon testing, nuclear accidents

Question 4

how to measure and detect background radiation

Answer 4

photographic film, geiger-muller counter

Question 5

how is photographic film used in to measure radiation

Answer 5

1) it turns dark when it absorbs radiation
2) the darker the film means more radiation been exposed to

Question 6

how is geiger-muller tubes used to measure radiation

Answer 6

they produce a pulse which a machine uses to count the amount of radiation. the frequency of the pulse depends how much radiation is present

Question 7

describe an alpha particle

Answer 7

2 protons and 2 neutrons (same as a helium nucleus)

Question 8

what range of air can alpha particle move through

Answer 8

a few centimeters, 2-10

Question 9

what blocks beta radiation

Answer 9

a then sheet of aluminum and several meters of air

Question 10

what blocks gamma radiation

Answer 10

thick lead

Question 11

most ionising radiation

Answer 11

alpha

Question 12

least ionising radiation

Answer 12

gamma

Question 13

how does gamma emission affect mass/charge of an atom

Answer 13

both remain unchanged

Question 14

describe the plum pudding model

Answer 14

a sphere of positive charge, with negatively charged electrons distributed throughout

Question 15

what was believed about the atom before electrons were discovered

Answer 15

the atom was invisible

Question 16

what’s the name of the current atom model

Answer 16

bohr model

Question 17

describe rutherfords experiment

Answer 17

1) alpha particles were fired at a thin sheet of gold foil
2) most particles went straight through
3) some were deflected

Question 18

conclusion of rutherfords experiment

Answer 18

1) most of an atom was empty space
2) the nucleus hwr a positive charge
3) most of the made is in the nucleus

Question 19

what happens during beta plus decay

Answer 19

a proton becomes a neutron and a prositron to conserve charge

Question 20

what is it called when a neutron turns into a proton and an electron

Answer 20

beta minus decay

Question 21

during alpha decay, what happens to the atomic number and mass of the atom

Answer 21

1) atomic number decreases by 2
2) mass decreases by 4
3) new element is made due to the amount of protons

Question 22

what effect does beta minus decay have on the mass and atomic number have on an atom

Answer 22

1) mass stays the same as number of neutrons and protons haven’t changed
2) atomic number number increases because another the neutron became a proton