Nuclear Chem VOCAB CHECK

Front

What is radioactivity?

Back

Radioactivity is the spontaneous emission of particles or rays from the nucleus of an unstable atom.

Front

What does spontaneous emission mean in the context of radioactivity?

Back

It means that the emission occurs without any external energy input.

Front

What is alpha decay?

Back

Alpha decay is a type of radioactive decay in which an unstable nucleus emits an alpha particle, which is essentially a helium nucleus.

Front

What is produced during alpha decay?

Back

A helium atom is produced during alpha decay.

Front

What does it mean if a nucleus is unstable?

Back

An unstable nucleus has an unbalanced amount of protons and neutrons, making it prone to decay.

Front

What is beta decay?

Back

Beta decay is a type of radioactive decay in which a neutron in the nucleus is transformed into a proton and an electron, with the electron being emitted.

Front

What particle is emitted during beta decay?

Back

An electron is emitted during beta decay.

Front

What does radioactivity indicate about a substance?

Back

Radioactivity indicates that the substance emits particles or rays at random.

Front

What are the types of radiation emitted during radioactive decay?

Back

The types of radiation include alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma rays.

Front

What is a half-life in nuclear chemistry?

Back

Half-life is the time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay.