Radioactivity and Nuclear Chemistry Flashcards

Flashcards on Radioactivity and Nuclear Chemistry

Atomic Number

The number of protons in an atom, determining the element's identity.

Isotopes

Atoms with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.

Stable Isotopes

Isotopes that do not undergo radioactive decay.

Nuclear Reactions

Involve changes to the atomic nucleus, often converting one element into another.

Chemical Reactions

Never change the nucleus, but alter the number of electrons.

Radioactivity

The spontaneous emission of radiation by an unstable nucleus.

Radiation

The flow of particles or energy emitted from unstable nuclei.

Nucleon

A general term for a proton or neutron.

Ionizing Radiation

Radiation with enough energy to break chemical bonds.

Nonionizing Radiation

Radiation without enough energy to break chemical bonds.

Penetrating Power

The ability of radiation to pass through a material.

Alpha Particle

A helium nucleus with 2 protons and 2 neutrons, having a +2 charge and low penetrating power.

Beta Particle

A fast-moving electron emitted from the nucleus during radioactive decay, with medium penetrating power.

Positron

A particle with the same mass as an electron but with a positive charge, with medium penetrating power.

Gamma Ray

Pure electromagnetic radiation with no charge or mass, possessing high penetrating power.

Decay Process

A nuclear reaction where a particle is emitted.

Capture Process

A nuclear reaction where a particle is absorbed.

Fusion

A nuclear reaction where smaller nuclei combine to form a larger nucleus.

Fission

A nuclear reaction where a larger nucleus breaks apart into smaller nuclei.

Valley of Stability

A graph plotting the number of protons versus the number of neutrons in stable nuclei.

Half-Life

The time required for one-half of a radioactive sample to decay.

Radioactive Carbon Dating

Using the ratio of carbon-14 to carbon-12 to determine the age of ancient artifacts.

Binding Energy

The energy that holds protons and neutrons together in the nucleus.

Mass Defect

The difference in mass between individual protons and neutrons and the nucleus they form, converted to energy.

Photographic Film Badge

A device used for detecting exposure to radiation by fogging a protected film.

Geiger Counter

An argon-filled tube that detects radiation by ionizing argon atoms and producing a current.

Curie (Ci) and Becquerel

Units describing the amount of radioactivity in a radioactive source.

Roentgen

A unit measuring very high energy ionizing radiation (X-ray and gamma rays).

Rad

Radiation absorbed dosage, taking into account the nature of the absorbing material.

Rem

Roentgen equivalent for man, describing the biological damage caused by different kinds of radiation.

What is the rule about solids and liquids in the expression for the equilibrium constant (Kₑq)?

Solids and pure liquids are not included in the equilibrium constant expression because their concentrations remain constant during the reaction.