I17: E1 Radioactivity and Half-Life

What is in the nucleus of an atom

protons and neutrons

Isotope

atoms that have the same number of protons but different number of neutrons

Matter

anything that has mass and takes up space

12/6 C what is 12

atomic mass (neutrons+protones)

12/6 C what is 6

atomic number (proton number. same number os electrons in a neutral atom)

transmutation

conversion of an atom of one element into an atom of another element.

radioactivity

the process by which nuclei emit particles and rays

standard model

set of fundamental particles (quarks, leptons, gauge bosons, scalar bosons) and how they interact

Quarks

they bind together to form larger particles called hadrons

hadrons

include baryons and mesons

baryons

3 quarks form a baryon

leptons

small particles with either a negative charge or no charge

bonsons

particles that govern the ways that the quarks and leptons behave through different forces

antimatter

most particles exist with. Particles have similar maws ut have an opposite charge

4 fundamental forced

gravity, electromagnetism, strong nuclear force, weak nuclear force

gravity

acts between all particles of mass, but it is extraordinarily weak so it is only significant in objects more than 1 kilometer in size( thing planetary and galactic scales)

electromagnetism

much stronger force than gravity. It only acts between negatively and positively charged particles. Atoms exist because of

strong nuclear force

Holds quarks together to form neutrons and protons. Holds neutrons and protons together within the atomic nucleus. Strongest force.(aka strong interaction)

nucleon

proton or neutron

weak nuclear force

the force through which certain fundamental particles interact resulting in some forms of radioactive decay. It allows quarks to change into other quarks. Allowing some particles to change into other particles.

beta decay

type of radioactive decay involving the conversion between neutrons and protons with the emission of beta particle. electrons and positrons are beta particles.

alpha decay

an unstable nucleus emits an alpha particle. Has 2 protons and 2 neutrons and a charge of 2+ (because it has no electrons). It is a helium nucleus.

electron capture

occurs when a nucleus absorbs an electron from its innermost electron shell.

band of stability

graph, locations of stable nuclides on a plot of protons vs neutrons. ‘Magic numbers’ are atoms that are very stable against nuclear decay

half-life

amount of time it takes for half of a radioactive isotope to be likely to decay. Can be a very short amount of time or very, very long amount of time

radiometric age dating

provides an estimate of age of a material by comparing relative amounts of radioactive isotope and its daughter isotope.

what is the most useful isotope for radiometric age dating

carbon 14