CCB7 - radioactovity

Flashcards summarizing key concepts about atomic structure and radioactivity from lecture notes.

Structure of an atom

• Composed of a positively charged nucleus made of protons and neutrons.
• Surrounded by negatively charged electrons.
• Fundamental to understanding atomic behavior in chemical reactions.

Isotopes

• Atoms of the same element with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.
• Can have varied stability and applications in fields like medicine.

Half-life of a radioactive isotope

• The time taken for half of the nuclei in a sample to decay.
• Critical for calculating the age of objects in radiometric dating.

Activity in radioactivity

• The number of decays in a sample per second.
• High activity levels indicate instability and faster decay rates.

Alpha decay

• Characterized by the emission of an alpha particle.
• Involves the release of a helium nucleus.
• Common in heavy elements.

Absorption of electromagnetic radiation by atoms

• Causes electrons to move to a higher orbit, further from the nucleus.
• Leads to the excitation of atoms and the potential for chemical reactions.

Bohr's model principles

• Electrons exist in fixed orbitals around the nucleus rather than in a cloud.
• Helps explain the quantized nature of electron energies.

Geiger-Muller tube

• A device used to detect radiation.
• Produces a clicking sound for each absorbed decay.
• Essential for measuring radiation levels in various environments.

Smoke alarms and radioactivity

• Utilize Americium to ionize air particles and create a current.
• Trigger the alarm when interrupted by smoke.
• Illustrates practical applications of radioactivity in safety devices.

Gamma rays in medical settings

• Used for diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
• Allow imaging of tumors and targeted destruction.
• Highlights the therapeutic potential of radioactive isotopes.

Neutron mass and charge

• Relative mass is 1 and its charge is 0.
• Indicates that neutrons play a crucial role in the stability of atomic nuclei