CH 21 - Nuclear Chemistry - Vocab

Nucleon

a proton or neutron

Nuclide

an atom that is identified by the number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus

Mass defect

the difference between the mass of an atom and the sum of the masses of the atom’s protons and neutrons that make up the nucleus of an atom

Nuclear binding energy

the energy released when a nucleus is formed from nucleons

Radioactive decay

the disintegration of an unstable atomic nucleus into one or more different nuclides, accompanied by the emission of radiation, the nuclear capture or ejection of electrons or fission

nuclear radiation

the particles that are released from the nucleus during radioactive decay, such as neutrons, electrons and photons

Radioactive nuclide

a nuclide that contains isotopes that decay and emit radiations

alpha particle

a positively charged atom that is released in the disintegration of radioactive elements that consists of two protons and two neutrons

beta particle

a charged electron emitted during certain types of radioactive decay

positron

a particle that has the same mass and spin as an electron but has a positive charge

electron capture

the process in which an inner orbital electron is captured by the nucleus of an atom that contains the electron

gamma ray

the high-energy photon emitted by a nucleus during fission and radioactive decay

half-life

the time required for half of a sample of a radioactive isotope to break down by radioactive decay until a stable nuclide is reached

Decay sereis

a series of radioactive nuclides produced by successive radioactive decay until a stable nuclide is reached

parent nuclide

a radionuclide that yields a specific daughter nuclide as a later member of radioactive series

daughter nuclide

a nuclide produced by the radioactive decay of another nuclide

artificial transmutation

the transformation of atoms of one element into atoms of another element as a result of nuclear reaction, such as bombardment with neutrons

Transuranium element

a synthetic element whose atomic number is greater than that of uranium

Roentgen

a unit of radiation dose of X rays or gamma rays hat is equal to the amount of radiation that will produce 2.58 × 10^-4 of ions per kilogram of air at atmospheric pressure

Rem

the quantity of ionizing radiation that does as much damage to human tissue as 1 roentgen of high-voltage X rays doses

Film badge

a device that measure the approximate amount of radiation received in a given period of time by people who work with radiation

Geiger-Muller counter

an instrument that detects and measures the intensity of radiation by counting the number of electric pulses that pass between the anode and the cathode in a tube filled with gas

Scintillation counter

an instrument that converts scintillating light into an electrical signal for detecting and measuring radiation

Radioactive dating

the process by which the approximate age of an object is determined based on the amount of certain radioactive nuclides present

radioactive tracer

a radioactive material that is added to a substance so that its distribution can be detected later

nuclear waste

waste that contains radiosotopes

nuclear fission

the splitting of the nucleus of a large atom into two or more fragments; releases additional neutrons and energy

chain reaction

a reaction in which the material that starts the reaction is also one of the products and can start another reaction

critical mass

the minimum mass of fissionable isotoe that provides the number of neutrons needed to sustain a chain reaction

nuclear reactor

a device that uses controlled nuclear reactions to produce energy or nuclides

nuclear power plant

a facility that uses heat from nuclear reactors to produce electrical energy

shielding

a radiation-absorbing material that is used to decrease radiation leakage from nuclear reactors

control rod

a neutron-absorbing rod that helps control a nuclear reaction by limiting the number of free neutrons

moderator

a material that slows the velocity of neutrons so that they may be absorbed by the nuclei

nuclear fusion

nuclear combination of nuclei of small atoms to form a larger nucleus; releases energy