Radioactivity (paper1) Flashcards by Bea kirkham

Who made up the phrase” a sea of charged particles”

JJ Thomson

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What’s a nucleon number

The atomic mass

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What experiment was conducted to find the atomic structure

The gold foil test by Ernest Rutherford

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What’s the definition of ionisation

The addition of removal of an electron to create an ion

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What does losing an electron do

Creates a positive ion

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What do neutrons not do

Ionise

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What particles are ionising

Alpha
Beta minus
Positrons
Gamma rays

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What’s alphas charge

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What’s beta minuses charge

-1

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What’s positrons charge

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What the charge of gamma rays

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Which particle is the most ionising

Alpha

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What are alpha particles equal to

Helium nuclei

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What are alpha particles made up of

2 protons and 2 neutrons

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What’s the alpha particles symbol

4a2

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What is a beta particle

An electron emitted from the nucleus

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What do beta minus particles do

Move very fast and is a high energy electron

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What is a positron

A positively charged electron

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What is a positron a form of

Antimatter

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What happens when a positron collides with an electron

They are both annihilated and energy is produced

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What are gamma rays

High frequency electromagnetic waves

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What are gamma rays not

Particles

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What is neutron emission

When a neutron is lost from the nucleus

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What’s the neutron symbol

1N0

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Show an isotope

13Be4=1N0 + 12Be4

What is neutron emission a type of

Radioactive decay of atoms that contain excess neutrons

Why is a neutron emitted from the nucleus

To make the atom more stable

Why does the atom just become a new isotope of the original element

Because only a neutron is lost

What are neutrons high in?

Penetrating but not ionising

What is always the same throughout an isotope

The atomic number (the bottom one)

What's alpha decay in an equation

4H2

What does alpha decay do

Emits an alpha particle, made up of 2 protons and 2 neutrons

What does alpha decay do to the element

Changes it because it reduces the proton number by 2 and reduces the mass by 4

What's beta decay

Emission of a b- particle turns a neutron into a proton

Neutron=proton+electron

Neutron=proton + electron

What's the symbol for b- decay

0E-1

What happens in a b- decay equation

The mass number stays the same and the proton number increases by one, creating a new element

What happens in positron decay

Emission of a b+ particle turns a proton into a neutron

Name a use for alpha

Smoke detectors, americium-241 releases alpha, which ionises air. Smoke absorbs alpha, therefore triggering the alarm

Name a use for beta

Quality controlling thickness of paper

Name a use for gamma

Can pass through syringes. Killing living tissues such as viruses

What kind of energy is released during nuclear fission

Kinetic energy

Proton=neutron + positron

What's the symbol for the positron equation

0B1

What's radioactive decay

When a nucleus of an unstable isotope gives off alpha, beta or gamma radiation

What is the number of decays per second called

Isotopes activity

What are the units of activity called

Becquerel (Bq)

What's the half life of a radioactive isotope

The time taken for half the undecayed nuclei present to decay

What was Alexander Litvinenko poised with

Polonium-210

What are some somatic effects of radiation

Affects exposed cells and tissue | Can lead to Acute Radiation Poisoning

What's the definition of somatic

Relating to the body

What are some genetic effects of radiation

DNA can be mutated | Reproductive cells as subjected to being harmed

What can gamma rays do to foods containing microorganisms that cause food poisoning

They can irradiate the food to kill bacteria

What the half life of americium 241

432, so it can't harm humans

What do tracers in PET scans have a similar form to

Glucose

What happens to the isotope in a PET scan

It undergoes positron decay, releasing a positron. The positron collects with an electron, releasing gamma rays in the opposite directions.

What's the definition of fission

Splitting of the nucleus

Describe a type of nuclear fission

Uranium-235 absorbs a neutron, making an unstable nucleus of uranium 236. This splits into two smaller nuclei, and extra neutrons. Energy is released

What's the definition of a daughter nucleus

A nucleus that is made when a nucleus splits as it is unstable

What controls chain reactions

Control rods

How do control rods control chain reactions

They absorb neutrons

What do moderators do

Slow down neutrons

When does nuclear fusion occur

When nuclei are joined together

What does nuclear fusion generate

Heat energy

What is needed to do nucleur fusion

Very high temps and pressure