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Radioactivity: Updated 6/9/2021

Radioactivity occurs when unstable nuclei undergo radioactive decay by emitting radiation. There are three main types of radiation: alpha, beta, and gamma. Alpha particles are helium nuclei, beta particles are electrons, and gamma rays are high-energy electromagnetic radiation. During radioactive decay, the atomic number and mass number are conserved. Radioactive atoms decay through a series of steps until a stable nucleus is formed. Nuclear equations can be used to represent radioactive decay and bombardment reactions, where high-energy particles cause transmutation of one element into another.

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22 views3 pages

Radioactivity: Updated 6/9/2021

Radioactivity occurs when unstable nuclei undergo radioactive decay by emitting radiation. There are three main types of radiation: alpha, beta, and gamma. Alpha particles are helium nuclei, beta particles are electrons, and gamma rays are high-energy electromagnetic radiation. During radioactive decay, the atomic number and mass number are conserved. Radioactive atoms decay through a series of steps until a stable nucleus is formed. Nuclear equations can be used to represent radioactive decay and bombardment reactions, where high-energy particles cause transmutation of one element into another.

Uploaded by

tokkeom
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Advanced Physics Learning Activity Sheet

Quarter 4_Week4: Nuclear Structure, Nuclear force and Radioactivity


________________________________________________________________________________________
Name: ________________________________________________
Date:_____________________________
Section: __________________________
Radioactivity

Radioactivity is when a substance spontaneously emits radiation. Radioactive atoms (or radioisotopes)
emit radiation because their nuclei are unstable. Unstable nuclei lose energy by emitting radiation in a
spontaneous process called radioactive decay. Unstable radioactive atoms undergo radioactive decay until
they form stable nonradioactive atoms. There are several types of radiation emitted during radioactive decay.

Types of Radiation: Alpha, Beta, and Gamma


Three types of radiation have been discovered. The types are called alpha, beta and gamma. Alpha
rays turned out to be small particles of matter with a charge of +2 and a mass of 4 amu. It has been proved
that an alpha particle contains two protons and two neutrons – it is identical to the nucleus of a helium atom.
In fact, when an alpha particle slows down and gains two electrons it becomes a helium atom. The Greek
letter alpha (α) is used to represent this particle but in equations to keep track of mass and protons we must
use . Betas were also found to be particles; they are simply high-speed electrons. We use the Greek letter
beta (β), but in equations is used. When a beta slows down it becomes an electron. Gamma rays (γ) are
not particles; they are high energy electromagnetic radiation. They are photons (light) with no charge or mass
so we simply write in our equations.

Example 1: Thorium-232 decays by emitting an alpha and a gamma.

🡪 + γ +
Example 2: Uranium-239 decays by emitting a beta and a gamma.

NOTE: notice that 92 – [-1] = 93; there is


🡪 + γ + always an increase in the atomic number with
beta emission.

In the above examples you should notice that the sum of the mass numbers on the left of the arrow equals the
sum of the mass numbers on the right of the arrow and that the sum of the protons on the left equals the sum
of the protons on the right.

2. Complete the following table.


Name Charge Mass Greek Symbol Equation Symbol Identity
ALPHA
BETA
GAMMA

Updated 6/9/2021
Advanced Physics Learning Activity Sheet
Quarter 4_Week4: Nuclear Structure, Nuclear force and Radioactivity
________________________________________________________________________________________
When an atom undergoes radioactive decay the product nucleus is often unstable and undergoes
further decay. This occurs until a stable nucleus is produced. (There is no way for a student to know how an
atom will decay. We will always tell you the mode of decay for equations.)

3. Write the nuclear equations for the following radioactive decay series. Use the periodic table.

uranium-235 emits an alpha ___________________________________________

thorium-231 emits a beta and a gamma ___________________________________________

protactinium-231 emits an alpha and a gamma ___________________________________________

actinium-227 emits a beta ___________________________________________

Th-227 emits an alpha and a gamma ___________________________________________

Bombardment Reactions
So far, the equations we have written have involved natural radioactive decay and therefore natural
transmutation (changing of one element into another element). However, we have learned to cause
transmutation by bombardment of nuclei with high-energy particles. Bombardment allows us to prepare
hundreds of isotopes that do not naturally exist, plus this is the method for the production of transuranium
elements, all of the man-made elements that follow uranium on the periodic table.
HINT:
Example: Boron-10 is bombarded with a neutron yielding an alpha and another product. Neutron =
Proton =

+ 🡪 +
Write nuclear equations for the following bombardment reactions.

a. Platinum-196 is bombarded by a deuteron (H-2), producing platinum-197 and a proton.

___________________________________________________________________________________

b. Nitrogen-14 is bombarded by a neutron, producing carbon-14 and a proton.

___________________________________________________________________________________

c. Plutonium-239 plus an alpha yields three neutrons and a transuranium element.

___________________________________________________________________________________

d. Uranium-238 plus a neutron yields a beta and another product.

Updated 6/9/2021
Advanced Physics Learning Activity Sheet
Quarter 4_Week4: Nuclear Structure, Nuclear force and Radioactivity
________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

Updated 6/9/2021

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