IUHS CHEMISTRY – CHAPTER 24 NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY – Flashcards
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transmutation
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the conversion of an atom of one element to an atom of another element
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nucleons
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the positively charged protons and neutral neutrons contained in an aton's nucleus
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strong nuclear force
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a force that acts on subatomic particles that are extremely close together
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band of stability
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the region on a graph within which all stable nuclei are found when plotting the number of neutrons versus the number of protons
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positron emission
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a radioactive decay process in which a proton in the nucleus is converted into a neutron and a positron, and then the positron is emitted from the nucleus
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electron capture
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a radioactive decay process that occurs when an atom's nucleus draws in a surrounding electron, which combines with a proton to form a neutron, resulting in an C-ray photon being emitted
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radioactive decay series
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a series of nuclear reactions that starts with an unstable nucleus and results in the formation of a stable nucleus
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half-life
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the time required for one half of a radio isotope's nuclei to decay into its products
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rediochemical dating
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the process that is used to determine the age of an object by measuring the amount of a certain redioisotope remaining in that object
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unstable (science usage)
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spontaneously radioactive
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induced transmutation
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the process in which nuclei are bombarded with high velocity charged particles in order to create new elements
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transuranium element
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an element with an atomic number of 93 or greater in the periodic table
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mass defect
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the difference in mass between a nucleus and its component nucleons
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nuclear fusion
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the process of binding smaller atomic muclei into a single, larger, and more stable nucleus
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critical mass
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the minimum mass of a sample of fissionable material necessary to sustain a nuclear chain reaction
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breeder reactor
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a nuclear reactor that is able to produce more fuel than it uses
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nuclear fission
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the splitting of a nucleus into small, more stable fragments, accompanied by a large release of energy
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thermonuclear reaction
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a nucleus fusion reaction
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isotope
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an atom of the same element with the same number of protons but different number of neutrons
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ionizing radiation
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radiation that is energetic enough to ionize matter ir collides with
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radiotracer
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an isotope that emits non-ionizing radiation and is used to signal the presence of an element or specific substance; can be used to analyze complex chemical reactions mechanisms and to diagnose disease
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positron
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a particle that has the same mass as an electron but an opposite charge
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radioactivity
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the process by which some substances spontaneously emit radiation
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mass number
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the number after an element's name, representing the sum of its protons and neutrons
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