Radioactive Isotopes

Question 1

What is at the top left of the nuclear notation of an element?

Answer 1

The mass number

Question 2

What is at the bottom left of the nuclear notation of an element?

Answer 2

The atomic number

Question 3

What is in the middle of the nuclear notation of an element?

Answer 3

The element’s symbol

Question 4

How do you find the mass number?

Answer 4

The mass number is the sum of the protons and neutrons of an element?

Question 5

What are Isotopes?

Answer 5

Isotopes are atoms with the same atomic number but
different mass numbers

Question 5

What are the two classifications of Isotopes?

Answer 5

Stable isotopes and unstable isotopes

Question 6

What are stable isotopes?

Answer 6

Stable isotopes are isotopes that do not have distinguishing characteristics other than their masses and are obtained from natural resources

Question 7

What are radioactive isotopes?

Answer 7

Radioactive isotopes are isotopes that continuously and spontaneously decay in other lower atomic weight isotopes.

Question 8

What is Radioactivity?

Answer 8

Radioactivity is the process whereby unstable atomic nuclei release energetic subatomic particles

Question 9

What are the two ways in which radioactive isotopes occur?

Answer 9

They occur naturally and artificially

Question 10

What are the properties of radioactive isotopes?

Answer 10

1. Emits radiation
2. Half life
3. Penetration properties
4. Same chemical properties
5. Different physical properties

Question 11

How do radioactive isotopes become stable?

Answer 11

Radioactive isotopes are unstable so they undergo radioactive decay emitting radiations, till they become stable.

Question 12

What are the three types of radiation?

Answer 12

Alpha particles(α)
Beta particles(β)
Gamma rays(y)

Question 13

What is Half life?

Answer 13

Half life is the time period required for radionuclide to decay to one half the amount originally present

Question 14

What are two characteristics of a stable isotope?

Answer 14

Most abundantly found in nature
Atomic number and mass are constant

Question 15

What are two characteristics of an unstable isotope?

Answer 15

Spontaneous emission
of radiations(α,β,γ)
Constantly changing

Question 16

What are 3 radioactive isotopes?

Answer 16

Carbon-14
Hydrogen-3
Uranium-238

Question 17

What’s a usage of carbon-14?

Answer 17

Carbon-14 can be used to determine the ages of plant and animal remains

Question 18

What are two uses of radioactive isotopes?

Answer 18

Radiotherapy
Energy generation

Question 19

Explain radiotherapy

Answer 19

A specific radioactive isotope can be injected into a cancerous tumor to treat it

Question 20

Explain energy generation

Answer 20

A uranium-235 atom struck by a fast neutron splits into smaller atoms releasing neutrons and heat energy