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What are some aspects of nuclear reactions that are different from chemical reactions
atoms usually change their identity, reactions involve protons and neutrons, they are unaffected by temperature, they sometimes involve enormous energy changes which are accompanied by measurable changes in mass
where does 3/4th of radiation exposure come from?
background radiation
what is background radiation
radiation that is constanly present in our enviroment
where does 1/4th of radiation exposure come from?
medical irradiation, like X-rays
what can nuclear radiation do?
remove electrons from molecules to form ions in cells
what is ionizing radiation?
subatomic particles or electromagnetic waves, can ionize a particle and turn it in to an ion
what are free radicals
molecules that splinter into neutral fragments, can disrupt cellular processes
how does radiation affect cells?
it affects the fastest-growing cells and tissues, like white blood cells and bone marrow; can disrupt DNA, causing mutations
what is alpha decay
4/2 He, low penetrating power
what is beta decay
0/-1 e, moderate penetrating power
what is gamma decay
0/0, high energy photon; extremely high penetrating power
what is a positron emission
a particle equal in mass to an electron but with the opposite charge
what is an electron capture
a nucleus absorbes an electron from the inner shell
what is a half-life of a radioactive sample
the time required for one-half of the material to undergo radioactive decay; 1/2^n
what is Carbon-14 dating
the half-life of carbon-14 is 5,730 years. Caarbon-14 is formed in the upper atmosphere by the bombardment of ordinary nitrogen atoms by neurons from cosmic rays
what is Tritium dating?
tritum is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen. its half-life is 12.26 years and can be used for dating objects up to 100 years old
what is artificial transmutation
the bombardment of stable nuclei with alpha particles, neutrons, or other subatomic particles can cause new elements to form
what are tracers
traces the movement of isotopes to detect leaks in underground pipes and determine metabolic pathways
what is radiation therapy
nuclear radiation used to kill cancerous cells, patients often experience nausea and vomiting, which are early signs of radiation sickness
what are two ways to protect someone from radiation?
distance and sheilding
what is the mass-energy equation
E=mc²
what is binding energy
when protons and neutrons combine to form a nucleus and a small amount of mass is converted into energy
what is nuclear fission
when a larger nuclei splits into smaller nuclei
what can nuclear fission produce
a chain reaction of other nuclei in fission
what is radioactive fallout
radioactive isotopes produced in a nuclear bomb that are harmful for humans. some examples include Strontium-90 (bone) and Iodine-131 (thyroid)
what is heat from nuclear chain reactions used for?
the heat is used to make steam, which turns a turbine to produce electricity
what is nuclear fusion
a thermonuclear reaction in which smaller atomic nuclei are fused into larger nuclei; it is the principle reaction in the sun
