Term
| How does an unstable nucleus release energy? |
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Definition
| an unstable nucleus releases energy by emitting radiation during the process of radioactive decay. |
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Term
| What are the three main types of nuclear radiation? |
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Definition
| the three main types of nuclear radiation are alpha radiation, beta radiation, and gamma radiation. |
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Term
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Definition
| the process by which materials emit rays. |
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Term
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Definition
| the penetrating rays and particles emitted by a radioactive source. |
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Term
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Definition
| the nuclei of unstable isotopes. |
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Term
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Definition
| consists of helium nuclei and contains two protons and two neutrons and has a double positive charge. |
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Term
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Definition
| an electron resulting from the breaking apart of a neutron in an atom. |
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Term
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Definition
| a high energy photon emitted by a radioisotope. |
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Term
| What determines the type of decay a radioisotope undergoes? |
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Definition
| the neutron-to-proton ratio determines the type of decay that occurs. |
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Term
| How much of a sample of a radioisotope remains after each half-life? |
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Definition
| after each half-life, half of the existing radioactive atoms have decayed into atoms of a new element. |
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Term
| What are two ways that transmutation can occur? |
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Definition
| transmutation can occur by radioactive decay. transmutation can also occur when particles bombard the nucleus of an atom. |
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Term
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Definition
| an attractive force that acts between all nuclear particles that are extremely close together, such as protons and neutrons in a nucleus. |
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Term
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Definition
| a region where the nuclei are located. |
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Term
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Definition
| a particle with the mass of an electron but a positive charge. |
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Term
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Definition
| the time required for one-half of the nuclei of a radioisotope sample to decay to products. |
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Term
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Definition
| the conversion of an atom of one element to an atom of another element. |
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Term
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Definition
| the elements in the periodic table with atomic numbers above 92, the atomic number of uranium. |
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Term
| What happens in a nuclear chain reaction? |
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Definition
| in a chain reaction, some of the neutrons produced react with other fissionable atoms, producing more neutrons which react with still more fissionable atoms. |
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Term
| Why are spent fuel rods from a nuclear reaction stored in water? |
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Definition
| water cools the spent rods, and also acts as a radiation shield to reduce the radiation levels. |
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Term
| How do fission reactions and fusion reactions differ? |
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Definition
| fusion reactions, in which small nuclei combine, release much more energy than fission reactions, in which large nuclei are split. |
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Term
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Definition
| when the nuclei of certain isotopes are bombarded with neutrons. |
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Term
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Definition
| a process that slows neutrons so the reactor fuel (uranium-235 or plutonium-239) captures them to continue the chain reaction. |
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Term
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Definition
| a process that decreases the number of slow-moving neutrons. |
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Term
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Definition
| occurs when nuclei combine to produce a nucleus of greater mass. |
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Term
| What are three devices used to detect radiation? |
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Definition
| devices such as Geiger counters, scintillation counters, and film badges are commonly used to detect radiation. |
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Term
| How are radioisotopes used in medicine? |
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Definition
| radioisotopes can be used to diagnose medical problems and, in some cases, to treat diseases. |
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Term
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Definition
| radiation with enough energy to knock electrons off some atoms of the bombarded sunstance to produce ions. |
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Term
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Definition
| uses a gass-filled metal tube to detect radiation. |
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Term
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Definition
| uses a phosphor-coated surface to detect radiation. |
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Term
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Definition
| consists of several layers of photographic film covered with black lightproof paper, all encased in a plastic or metal holder. |
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Term
| Neutron activation analysis |
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Definition
| a procedure used to detect trace amounts of elements in samples. |
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