Nuclear fission

• The rate at which an unstable nucleus decays depends on its atomic number, mass number, and energy level.
• Radioactivity can be measured using a Geiger counter or scintillation detector.
• Half-life is the time it takes for half of the radioactive atoms to decay into stable daughter products.
• Alpha particles are helium nuclei with two protons and two neutrons that travel short distances and can be stopped by paper.
• Alpha particles (α) are helium nuclei with two protons and two neutrons that travel slowly but ionize heavily when they collide with other atoms.
• Beta particles (β-) are high-energy electrons emitted from the nucleus during beta decay.
• Beta particles are high-energy electrons emitted from the nucleus during beta decay.
• Gamma rays (γ) are high-energy photons emitted during nuclear decay.
• Gamma rays (γ) are photons emitted from the nucleus during nuclear decay, often accompanying alpha or beta emission.
• Gamma rays are photons emitted from the nucleus during nuclear decay, often accompanying alpha or beta emission.
• The rate at which an unstable atom decays depends on its atomic structure and energy level.
• Radioactivity refers to the spontaneous disintegration of certain elements due to their inherent instability.
• Natural sources of radiation include cosmic rays, radon gas, and some foods like bananas and potatoes.
• Ionizing radiation has enough energy to remove electrons from atoms, while non-ionizing radiation does not have this capability.
• Beta particles can be either negatively charged electrons or positively charged antielectrons, depending on whether they originate from a neutron or proton.
• Gamma rays are high-energy photons that do not carry any charge but can ionize matter by interacting with it.
• Gamma ray emissions occur as a result of nuclear transitions between different energy levels.