QUIZ 4 on RADIOACTIVITY - what happens to atoms in radioactive decay?

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   bond      chain      chemical      disintegrates      electromagnetic      electrons      element      energy      fission      four      helium      large      larger      neutron      neutrons      nuclear      penetrating      proton      protons      radioisotopes      reaction      smaller      two      unstable   
(a) Radioactive isotopes () are atoms with nuclei.

(b) When this nucleus splits up () it emits radiation and an atom with a different number of protons is formed i.e. a different .

(c) Alpha radiation particles consist of a nucleus made up of two and two neutrons.

(d) In alpha decay, the atomic number of the atom decreases by and the mass number decreases by .

(e) Beta radiation consists of high-energy emitted from the nuclei of unstable atoms.

(f) For each electron emitted, a in the nucleus becomes a and the atomic number of the atom increases by one.

(g) Gamma radiation is very short wavelength radiation and highly .

(h) Nuclear reactors use a process called . When atoms with a nucleus is bombarded with the nucleus splits into two nuclei.

(i) Further neutrons are then released which may cause further nuclear fission resulting in a . The new atoms which are formed are themselves often radioactive and release large amounts of in the process.

(h) The energy released by an atom during radioactive disintegration or nuclear fission is very compared to the energy released when a is made between two atoms.