Questions and Answers
What is a Daughter Atom?
A stable atom that results from the decay of a radioactive atom/isotope.
What is Radioactive Decay?
The process in which a radioactive atom spontaneously releases particles and/or energy.
What is a Geiger counter?
An instrument that detects the particles emitted by decaying atoms.
What is Half-life?
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What is an Isotope?
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What is a Neutron?
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What is Radiation?
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What does it mean if something is Radioactive?
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What is Radiometric dating?
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Study Notes
Half-life Vocabulary Study Notes
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Daughter Atom: A stable atom produced from the decay of a radioactive isotope, indicating a transformation in nuclear structure.
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Radioactive Decay: The spontaneous process where a radioactive material emits particles and/or energy, leading to a change in its atomic structure.
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Geiger Counter: An instrument designed to detect and measure ionizing radiation emitted by decaying atoms, commonly used in radiation detection.
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Half-life: The specific duration required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay, a critical concept in understanding radioactive materials.
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Isotope: Variants of a particular chemical element that possess the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons, resulting in differing atomic masses.
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Neutron: A subatomic particle with no electric charge, found in the nucleus of an atom, contributing to the stability of the atomic structure.
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Radiation: Energy released in the form of waves or particles, including alpha, beta, or gamma rays, that can travel through air and other media.
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Radioactive: Describes materials that have the capability to emit radiation due to the instability of their atomic nuclei.
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Radiometric Dating: A technique utilized to determine the age of materials by assessing the ratios of radioactive atoms to their decay products (daughter atoms), providing insights into geological and archaeological timelines.
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Description
These flashcards cover essential vocabulary related to half-life and radioactive decay. Each term includes a precise definition to aid understanding and retention. Perfect for students studying nuclear chemistry or physics concepts.
