Year 11 Physics Review

Flashcards based on key terms and definitions from Year 11 Physics lecture notes.

Radioactive decay

The process by which an unstable nucleus emits alpha or beta particles and electromagnetic radiation.

Alpha particle

A particle consisting of two protons and two neutrons ejected from the nucleus of a radioactive nuclide.

Parent nucleus

A nucleus on the reactant side of a nuclear equation that undergoes fission or decays by natural means.

Daughter nucleus

The resulting nuclide formed after the parent nucleus has decayed.

Beta particle

An electron or positron ejected from the neutron of a radioactive nuclide.

Weak nuclear force

A nuclear force that causes radioactive decay by rearranging the number of protons and neutrons.

Antineutrino

A neutral subatomic particle that interacts very weakly with other matter; the antimatter particle of the neutrino.

Positron

The antimatter pair of the electron, having the same mass but opposite electrical charge.

Gamma Ray

High-energy electromagnetic radiation ejected from the nucleus of a radioactive nuclide.

Electrostatic forces

The attractive or repulsive force between charged particles.

Strong nuclear force

A short-range but powerful force that holds protons and neutrons together in the nucleus.

Penetrating ability

A measure of how easily radiation passes through matter.

Alpha decay

A nuclear decay process in which an alpha particle is emitted from the nucleus.

Beta decay

A nuclear decay process where a neutron changes into a proton and emits a beta particle.

Gamma decay

A type of decay that emits a gamma ray without changing the atomic or mass number.

Neutrinos

Elementary particles that hold no electrical charge and pass through matter with virtually no interaction.

Fission

The process of splitting a heavy nucleus into two lighter nuclei, accompanied by the release of energy.

Fusion

The process of combining two light nuclei to form a heavier nucleus, releasing energy.

Radiation therapy

The use of high-energy radiation to treat cancer and other diseases.

Cosmic radiation

Radiation that occurs naturally from outer space and interacts with the Earth's atmosphere.

Nuclear transmutation

The conversion of one chemical element into another through nuclear reactions.