Kinetic Theory & Thermal Energy
The R in R.A.V.E.D
What is Random?
The two constants required for Boyle’s Law to be true.
What are Mass/Amount of Gas & Temperature?
Rutherford scattering provided evidence for and an upper limit on the size of this.
What is the nucleus?
The mass number remains this same in these three types of radioactive decay.
What are beta (+ and -) and gamma?
The moderator slows down neutrons through a series of these, best done with water!
What are elastic collisions?
This type of average is used instead of a simple arithmetic mean, especially when discussing the velocity of particles in a gas
What is root-mean-square?
The work done by a gas at a constant pressure of 100MPa expanding from a volume of 2 m3 to 4 m3.
What is 200 MJ (or 2 x 108 J)?
The distance of least approach between an alpha particle and the target nucleus can be calculated by considering this energy transfer.
What is kinetic energy to electric potential energy?
Beta particles have a varying range in air due to sharing the energy of the decay with this fundamental particle
What is an electron (anti)neutrino?
The coolant in a thermal nuclear reactor helps keep the reactor at a safe temperature, but it also does this to the turbine.
What is transfers energy from the core to the turbine (via a heat exchanger)
The energy required per unit mass to change a liquid to a gas.
This word is given for when there is no net movement of particles between two connected containers, in other words, the pressure between them is equal.
What is Equilibrium?
The observation that alpha particles mostly passed through the gold foil undeflected indicates that an atom is primarily this.
What is empty space?
The meaning of the decay constant λ in the equation
N = N0 e-λt
What is "probability of decay per unit time"
If this quantity increases, then a nuclear reaction (either fission or fusion) will cause energy to be released.
What is binding energy per nucleon?
What is 2 kg?
The relationship between boltzmann’s constant kb and the molar gas constant R
What is R = kb x NA (or any acceptable rearrangement)
This observation in the rutherford scattering experiment showed that almost all of the mass of an atom must be concentrated in a very small region
What is "a very small number of alpha particles rebounded backwards"
Lighter isotopes that are proton-rich can undergo two types of decay.
What are beta + and electron capture?
The energy released, in MeV, when two Carbon-12 atoms fuse to make Magnesium-24. (this energy is in the form of a gamma photon and the KE of the products)
Mass of C-12 = 12u
Mass of Mg-24 = 23.985u
1u = 931.5 MeV
What is 14 MeV?
Molar mass of mercury = 200 g mol-1
What is 350 m s-1 ?
The final temperature of a gas, in Kelvin, relative to its initial temperature, if the spherical container its in halves in radius, the gas pressure triples and the mass of gas quadruples
What is 3/32?
The distance of closest approach between an alpha particle with KE = 5 MeV and a gold nucleus (charge +79e), in metres, to 2 s.f.
What is 4.5 x 10-14 m?
The percentage of Astatine-211, used in experimental cancer therapies, remaining after 24 hours, given a half life of 7.2 hours.
What is
Water is used as a good coolant and a good moderator. That's because it has two of many properties that make it perfect for the job!
What are (any two of):
- Does not absorb neutrons
- High boiling point (under pressure)
- High SHC (to store more energy and deliver to turbine)
- Unreactive