Introduction to Radioactivity

Introduction to Radioactivity

What might I already know?

Open Ended

What does radioactivity mean?

What does radioactivity mean?

While most atoms are stable, some are radioactive, which means that they have a tendency to undergo spontaneous nuclear decay. The decay of radioactive atoms generally results in the emission of particles and/or energy.

But what makes an atom unstable?

Poll

The nucleus of the atom is made of neutrons and electrons.

• Agree

• Disagree

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Protons and neutrons are approximately the same size.

• Agree

• Disagree

Poll

The majority of an atom's mass is located in the nucleus.

• Agree

• Disagree

Poll

An atom with 12 protons and 14 neutrons has a mass number of 26.

• Agree

• Disagree

Poll

An atom with 6 protons, 6 neutrons, and 6 electrons has an atomic number of 12.

• Agree

• Disagree

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Atoms cannot be divided into anything simpler.

• Agree

• Disagree

Poll

Protons and neutrons cannot be divided into anything simpler.

• Agree

• Disagree

Protons and Neutrons are basically twins...

• The have approximately the exact same mass.

• The only difference between them is the fact that protons have a positive charge and neutrons are neutral.

• There internal structures are almost identical!

What are protons an neutrons made of?

Quarks are the basic building blocks for protons and neutrons. There are six types of quarks: up, down, charm, strange, top, and bottom.

Scientists often refer to these different quarks as "flavors".

What are protons and neutrons made of?

Many texts often explain that the difference between protons and neutrons can be found in the quarks they are made of:

Protons are made of 3 quarks (2 up and 1 down)

Neutrons are made of 3 quarls (2 down and 1 up)

Quarks Explained in 4 Minutes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LraNu_78sCw

What does this all have to do with radioactivity?

Large amounts of energy are stored within the atom between the forces that hold together the nucleus of the atom.

According to the Theory or Relativity, E=mc², matter can be converted into energy. We can observe this during the nuclear reactions of radioactive materials.

Objective

In this mini-unit, you will define radioactivity and explore the different types of nuclear radiation. You will investigate how radiation impacts our every day lives and determine whether the negative effects of radiations outweigh the positive benefits.