FUNDAMENTAL PARTICLES OF THE ATOM AND RADIOACTIVITY ASSIGNMENT

1) A positively charged particle made up of two protons and two neutrons and released by a radioactive nucleus is the __________.

2) An electron released by a radioactive nucleus that causes a neutron to change into a proton is called a __________.

3) The amount of time for half the atoms in a radioactive sample to decay is called the __________.

4) The process in which the nuclei of unstable atoms can become more stable by emitting particles and/or electromagnetic radiation is called ________________.

5) High-energy electromagnetic radiation released by a radioactive nucleus are called __________.

6) __________ decay is the breaking up of a radioactive element, more often than not resulting in the formation of a new nucleus.

7) _________________ is the changing of an atom into another kind of atom that takes place during radioactive decay.

8) In the year __________, Henri Becquerel of __________ discovered radioactivity.

9) Alpha radiation is actually a stream of (positively, negatively) charged particles.

10) Beta radiation is actually a stream of (positively, negatively) charged particles.

11) Whenever an element undergoes (alpha, beta, gamma) decay, it turns into another element with an atomic number two less than before and a mass number four less than before.

12) During (alpha, beta, gamma) decay, a neutron in the nucleus decays into a proton, an electron, and an anti-neutrino.

13) The more stable a nucleus is, the (longer, shorter) its half-life.

14) (Alpha particles, Beta particles, Gamma rays) can be stopped with a piece of paper.

15) (Alpha particles, Beta particles, Gamma rays) can be stopped with a thin metal sheet.

16) It takes a thick metal sheet to stop (alpha particles, beta particles, gamma rays).

17) (Alpha particles, Beta particles, Gamma rays) travel at the speed of light.

18) The term radioactivity was coined by __________.

19) (Alpha particles, Beta particles, Gamma rays) are not affected by a magnetic field because they carry no __________ charge.

20) An alpha particle is actually a nucleus of __________.

21) Beta particles originate in the __________ of the atom.

22) Radioactive decay processes occur until a __________ element is formed.

23) The half-life of a given isotope can be altered by heat, pressure, or some other physical means. True or False.

24) What happens in a chain reaction?

A) Radioactive reactants are deposited on control rods.
B) Products that are radioactive are lost.
C) Reactants that have two parts split.
D) Products that start a new reaction are released.

25) Why is ionizing radiation more dangerous to children than to adults?

26) Beginning with the element 83-Bi-210, fill in the blanks (no answer provided).

name of element:
atomic number:
atomic mass number:
number of protons in nucleus:
number of neutrons in nucleus:
equation showing beta decay reaction:
name of new element:
atomic number:
atomic mass number:
number of protons in nucleus:
number of neutrons in nucleus:
symbol for new element (including subscript and superscript):