Integrated Science Mr. Danckers Chapter 10
Key Questions > What happens when an element undergoes radioactive decay? > How does radiation affect the nucleus of an unstable isotope? > How do scientists predict when an atom will undergo radioactive decay?
What happens when an element undergoes radioactive decay? After radioactive decay, the element changes into a different isotope of the same element or into an entirely different element.
radioactive decay: the disintegration of an unstable atomic nucleus into one or more different nuclides
nuclear radiation: the energy and particles that are released from the nucleus during radioactive decay
There are different types of nuclear radiation. Nuclear radiation can contain alpha particles beta particles gamma rays neutrons
Alpha particles: consist of a positively charged particle that consists of two protons and two neutrons and that is emitted from the nucleus during radioactive decay
Beta particles: electrons or positrons that are emitted from a nucleus during radioactive decay
Gamma rays high-energy photons emitted by a nucleus during fission and radioactive decay
Neutron emission consists of matter (neutrons) that is emitted from an unstable nucleus.