NM 112 - Types of Radiation and Radioactive Decay

Will just go over the common nomenclature used for describing nuclides and the families of nuclides

Which part of the atom is heaviest?

The neutron with a mass of 1.675 × 10^-27

Which part of the atom is the lightest?

The electron with a mass of 9.109 × 10^-31

What is a nuclide?

Any combination of protons and neutrons and nucleon arrangement with a measurable life time

“How many protons and neutrons does the nucleus have?”

What does X stand for in nomenclature?

The chemical symbol on the periodic table

What does Z stand for in nomenclature?

The atomic number.

The number of protons in the element and is also accounts for the elements identity

What does N stand for in nomenclature?

Neutron number

What does A stand for in nomenclature?

The mass number

Can be calculated using (Z + N = total number of nucleons)

What is an isotope?

Two nucleuses with the same number of protons

Will have the same Z but a different A

What is an isotone?

Where there are the same number of neutrons

Will have the same N but a different A

What is an isobar?

Where they have the same mass number or ‘A’

Will have the same A between one another but different Z

What is an isomer?

Nuclides with the same ‘A’ and ‘Z’ but different energy states of the nucleus

How is an unstable nucleus identified?

Identified with a letter ‘m’ next to the ‘A’

Metastable

Unstable element in energy for a period of time before it becomes stable by giving off excess energy

What common decay process associates with metastable?

Gamma emission