Nuclear Chemistry

Nuclear Radiation

100

What are the three types of radiation?

Alpha, Beta, and Gamma

200

What type of nuclear radiation is the most harmful?

Gamma Rays

300

This type of radiation has a mass of about 4 amu. It has a charge of 2 and its positive. The penetrating power is low. Protecting yourself from this radiation takes a piece of paper or your own skin.

What is Alpha radiation?

400

This type of radiation has an extremely small mass. It has a negative charge and medium penetrating power. Protecting yourself from this radiation takes a centimeter of plastic. 

What is Beta radiation?

500

This type of radiation has no mass. It has no charge, and the penetrating power is high. Protecting yourself from this radiation takes at least several inches of lead or a few feet of concrete. 

What is a Gamma Ray?

Uses of Nuclear Radiation

100

What are some uses of nuclear radiation in the medical field?

Mammograms, CT scans, and X-rays

200

What radioactive element is commonly found in smoke detectors?

Americium

300

What medical instrument uses radiation to detect injuries and diseases? 

X-rays

400

What is a similar benefit that both Mammograms and CT scans have?

They can both detect things in the body.

500

List some uses of nuclear radiation in the real world.

X-rays

Smoke detectors

Mammograms

CT scans

Smoke Detectors

Cell phones

Radioactive Decay

100

What is the name of the radioactive element that is used by scientists to date fossils?

Carbon-14

200

What element is found in every living thing?

Carbon

300

How is radioactive half-life used to determine the age of fossils?

Scientists measure the amount of Carbon-14 left in the fossil. They use this information to determine how many half-lives the Carbon-14 went through.

400

The time for a quantity to reduce to half of its value

What is Radioactive Half-Life?

500

How does the process of radioactive decay work?

A radioactive atom will spontaneously give off radiation in the form of particles or energy. This allows the atom to become stable 

Nuclear Reactions

100

What are the two types of nuclear reactions?

Nuclear Fusion and Nuclear Fission

200

What is Nuclear Fission and Fusion currently used for?

Nuclear fusion is used for nuclear weapons

Nuclear fission is used in nuclear power plants to boil water and make pressurized steam.

300

Explain the processes of nuclear fusion and fission.

Fusion- Two lighter nuclei will come together to form a heavy nucleus. This releases energy because the total mass of the two nuclei is less than that of the original two nuclei. The mass left over becomes energy. 

Fission- A neutron collides with a uranium atom and splits the atom. This releases a large amount of energy in the form of heat and radiation. This ends up creating more neutrons that collide with other uranium atoms. This repeats the process over and over again. 

400

What are the risks and benefits of Nuclear Fusion?

The waste is extremely dangerous and exposure can create health problems. But, it is long-term and sustainable and is a safe source of energy to generate electricity

500

What are the risks and benefits of Nuclear Fission? 

Nuclear fission produces uranium-235 which is extremely harmful and radioactive. If the reaction is not controlled, it can lead to the creation of an atomic bomb. But, it costs less to operate, and it reduces pollution and global warming.

Einstein

100

Energy equals the mass times the speed of light squared.

E=mc²

200

What does E stand for in E=mc²?

Energy

300

What does m stand for in E=mc²?

Mass

400

What does c stand for in E=mc^2?

The speed of light

500

What does E=mc² mean in its simplest form?

Mass and energy are interchangeable. They are the same thing, just under different forms.