All Flashcards
What are the steps involved in radioactive decay?
- Unstable nucleus exists. 2. Nucleus emits radiation (alpha, beta, or gamma). 3. Nucleus transforms into a more stable configuration.
What are the steps of the Photoelectric Effect?
- Light shines on a metal surface. 2. If the light's frequency is above the threshold frequency, electrons are emitted. 3. Emitted electrons have kinetic energy related to the light's frequency and the metal's work function.
What is the definition of 'system' in quantum physics?
Interactions between particles and energy leading to observable physical phenomena.
What is radioactive decay?
The process where an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by emitting radiation.
What is half-life?
The time it takes for half of the radioactive nuclei in a sample to decay.
What is mass-energy equivalence?
The concept that mass and energy are equivalent and can be converted into each other, described by E=mc².
What is wave-particle duality?
The concept that particles can behave like waves, and waves can behave like particles.
What is the photoelectric effect?
The emission of electrons from a metal surface when it's hit by light.
What is a wave function?
A mathematical function (Ψ) that describes the quantum state of a particle, containing information about its position, momentum, and energy.
What happens when a radioactive nucleus emits an alpha particle?
The atomic number decreases by 2, and the mass number decreases by 4.
What happens when light with a frequency above the threshold frequency shines on a metal?
Electrons are emitted from the metal surface (photoelectric effect).
What is the effect of increasing the frequency of light in the photoelectric effect (above the threshold frequency)?
The kinetic energy of the emitted electrons increases.
What happens when a neutron is absorbed by a Uranium-235 nucleus?
Nuclear fission occurs, producing Barium-141, Krypton-92, and three neutrons, along with a release of energy.