Chapter 16
Chapter 16 of Physical Science
Terms
undefined, object
copy deck
- Critical Mass
- The minimum mass of fissionable material in a reactor or nuclear bomb that will sustain a chain reaction
- What are cosmic rays and where do they originate
- They originate in teh sun and other stars and make up background radiation in space; high-energy particles or high-frequency electromagnetic radiation
- Gamma Ray
- High-frequency electromagnetic radiation emitted by the nuclei of radioactive atoms
- Half-life
- The time required for half the atoms in a sample of a radioactive isotope to decay
- Transmutation
- The conversion of an atomic nucleus of one element into an atomic nucleus of another element through a loss or gain in the number of protons
- Chain reaction
- a self-sustaining reaction in which the products of one reaction event stimulate further reaction events
- Where does most of the radiation you encounter originate
- Natural background radiation that originates in the earth and in space and was present long before we humans arrived
- Beta Particles
- An electron (or positron) emitted during the radioactive decay of certain nuclei
- Radioactivity
- The process whereby unstable atomic nuclei break down and emit radiation
- Nuclear fission
- The splitting of the nucleus of a heavy atom, such as uranium-235, into 2 main parts, accompanied by the release of much energy
- Nuclear fusion
- the combining of nuclei of light atoms to form heavier nuclei, with the release of much energy
- Alpha Particle
- The nucleus of a helium atom which consists of 2 neutrons and 2 protons, ejected by certain radioactive elements
- Nucleon
- A nuclear proton or neutron
- thermonuclear fusion
- nuclear fusion produced by high temperature
- How do the electric charges of alpha, beta, and gamma rays differ
- Alpha: positive charge; Beta: negative charge; Gamma: no charge