Unit 8 Vocabulary Nuclear Chemistry

Front

Protons

Back

Protons are positive subatomic particles that live in the nucleus. The number of protons identifies the specific element.

Front

Neutrons

Back

Neutrons are neutral subatomic particles that live in the nucleus. Neutrons help stabilize the atom.

Front

Electrons

Back

Electrons are negative subatomic particles that live in the electron cloud.

Front

Valence electrons

Back

Valence electrons are the electrons that occupy the outermost energy level or orbital in the electron cloud. Electrons are responsible for reactivity.

Front

Strong nuclear force

Back

The strong nuclear force is the force that holds together the protons and neutrons in an atomic nucleus. It overcomes the electromagnetic repulsion between the positively charged protons.

Front

Marie Curie

Back

Marie Curie discovered the elements polonium and radium and described the process of radioactivity.

Front

Ernest Rutherford

Back

Ernest Rutherford is best known for developing the Rutherford model of the atom, which proposed that atoms have a dense, positively charged nucleus surrounded by electrons. He conducted pioneering research in radioactivity, discovered the proton, and performed the first artificial splitting of the atom.

Front

Radioactive decay

Back

Radioactive decay is the spontaneous process where an unstable atomic nucleus releases energy and/or particles (radiation) to become more stable.

Front

Parent nucleus

Back

A parent nucleus is the original, unstable atomic nucleus that undergoes radioactive decay to form a more stable 'daughter' nucleus.

Front

Daughter nucleus

Back

A daughter nucleus is the new, more stable nucleus that results from the radioactive decay of a parent nucleus.