QUESTIONS:

1. Define the following:a. radioactivity: the radioactive nature of a substance such as uranium or plutonium

: Radioactive decay is the process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by emitting ionizing particles (ionizing radiation). The emission is spontaneous, in that the nucleus decays without collision with another particle or atom.

b. radioactive half-life: the time a radioactive substance takes to lose half its radioactivity through decay. Symbol T1/2

: the period of time it takes for a substance undergoing decay to decrease by half.

c. radioactive series: a series of related atom types nuclides of radioactive isotopes, each of which is transformed into the next by the emission of an elementary particle until a stable nuclide results. There are three such sequences, the thorium, the uranium-radium, and the actinium, and almost all naturally occurring radioactive isotopes belong to one of them.

: the decay chain refers to the radioactive decay of different discrete radioactive decay products as a chained series of transformations

Decay stages are referred to by their relationship to previous or subsequent stages. A parent isotope is one that undergoes decay to form a daughter isotope. The daughter isotope may be stable or it may decay to form a daughter isotope of its own. The daughter of a daughter isotope is sometimes called a granddaughter isotope.

2. What are the 3 radioactive emissions? Give the characteristics of each.a. alpha (α) emission: Alpha decay is a type of radioactive decay in which an atomic

nucleus emits an alpha particle, and thereby transforms (or 'decays') into an atom with a mass number 4 less and atomic number 2 less.

: An alpha particle is the same as a helium-4 nucleus, and both mass number and atomic number are the same.

: the emission of alpha particles from an atomic nucleus

b. beta (β) emission: a type of radioactive decay in which a beta particle (an electron or a positron) is emitted. In the case of electron emission, it is referred to as beta minus (β−), while in the case of a positron emission as beta plus (β+). In electron emission, an electron antineutrino is also emitted, while positron emission is accompanied by an electron neutrino. Beta decay is mediated by the weak force.

: the emission of an electron by a radionuclide

c. gamma (Ɣ) emission: electromagnetic radiation of high frequency (very short wavelength). They are produced by sub-atomic particle interactions such as electron-positron annihilation, neutral pion decay, radioactive decay (including isomeric transition which involves an inhibited gamma decay), fusion, fission or inverse Compton scattering in astrophysical processes

3. Give importance of the radioactive series*Radioactive elements are very important to study for many reasons:

Firstly, we would probably still be in WWII if we hadn't dropped the 2 atomic bombs. Both of the 2 bombs used nuclear fission to cause a chain reaction. This chain reaction had so much explosive power it destroyed buildings and incinerated people too close to the blast. And what were the main ingredients to the bombs? Uranium and Plutonium (which are both radioactive).

Secondly, we can use radiation as a power source. Think of being able to use the power of those nuclear bombs to power your house

And finally, we can use radiation for medical reasons. You can kill cancer cells with radiation, as long as you are careful to not hit the victim of the cancer, as it can also harm the person.