Help
Options
Didn't know it?
click below
click below
Knew it?
click below
click below
Don't Know
Remaining cards (0)
Know
retry
shuffle
restart
0:00
Embed Code - If you would like this activity on your web page, copy the script below and paste it into your web page.
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Nuclear Processes
SPS1a SPS4a-c vocab
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| isotope | Atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons |
| radioactive | Unstable nucleus; gives off radiation in the form of alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma rays |
| Alpha particle | Equivalent to a helium nucleus with 2 protons and 2 neutrons; positvely charged particle emitted by certain radioactive nuclei; low energy |
| Beta particle | Electrons emitted by an unstable atom; more able to penetrate matter than alpha particles; can be stopped by lead (medium energy) |
| Gamma ray | High energy x-rays; can only be stopped by thick lead or concrete |
| Radioactive decay | Causes an atom of one element to become a different element by reducing its atomic number |
| Half life | The time required for one half of a sample of a radioactive isotope to decay |
| fission | Occurs when the nucleus of an atom that has many protons and neutrons becomes so unstable that it splits into two smaller atoms; can be spontaneous or induced (Think: fissure) |
| Spontaneous fission | Natural process that occurs mostly in the transactinide elements |
| Induced fission | Process of firing neutrons at heavy atoms to make them split |
| fusion | Opposite of fission; involves joining (fusing) two small atoms to form one larger atom; occurs in the sun and other stars where extremely high temperatures allow hydrogen isotopes to collide and fuse, releasing energy |
| Fission fragments | Products of an atom split by neutron bombardment |
| Decay chain | A sequence of decays |
| Nuclear energy | Energy in the nucleus of an atom |
| Mass- energy equation | Mass and energy can be changed into eachother; credit it given to Einstein; E=mc(squared) |
| Nuclear reactor | A nuclear reactor is a device in a power plant where fission takes place. The reactor has pieces of uranium stacked up in rods that form the core of the reactor. |
| Control rods | The safeguard of the power plant–The rods are lowered into the uranium bundle to lessen the heat and raised out of the bundle to raise the heat. |
| supercriticality | For the nuclear power plant to work, it must start in a slightly supercritical state. This is where the uranium rods heat up, react, and cause more neutrons to be produced. The control rods keep this from becoming out of control and causing a disaster |
| All elements with atomic number greater than ______ are radioactive. | 83 |
| Fissile material bound together into long rods | Fuel rods |
Created by:
RealThehost1781
Popular Physical Science sets