Radio activity

Radioactivity- the spontaneous breaking up of an unstable nucleus with the emission of radiation

Henri becquerel- discovered radioactivity

Marie and Pierre Curie- continued the study of uranium salts which becquerel had started

polonium and radium- discover by Marie and Pierre Curie

Alpha particle- positively charged, consist of 2 proton ans 2 neutrons, very high ionizing power, low penetration power

Beta particles- formed by decaying neutrons into protons and electrons,negatively charged, low ionizing power, carbon-14 emits beta radiation

gamma radiation- doesn’t consist of protons or electrons, has high electromagnetic wave, when emitted nuclei changed to fro high to lower energy, stopped by several feet of lead

uses of Gamma radiation- radiotherapy, sterilization, welding and tracers

nuclear reaction- is when the nucleus reacts and forms a new element

Radioisotope- is an isotope of an element that emits radiation

transmutation- is the change of elements into another, confirmed by Rutherford

half-life- of a radioactive isotope is the time taken of half of the atoms in a sample of the isotope to decay