All Flashcards
What is radioactive decay?
The spontaneous breakdown of unstable nuclei, emitting particles and/or energy.
Define half-life.
The time it takes for half of a radioactive sample to decay.
What is a parent nuclide?
The original unstable nuclide in radioactive decay.
What is a daughter nuclide?
The resulting nuclide after radioactive decay.
What is an alpha particle?
A helium-4 nucleus consisting of 2 protons and 2 neutrons.
What happens during alpha decay?
An unstable nucleus emits an alpha particle, decreasing the atomic number by 2 and the mass number by 4.
What is the effect of alpha decay on the atomic number of a nucleus?
The atomic number decreases by 2.
What is the effect of alpha decay on the mass number of a nucleus?
The mass number decreases by 4.
What causes radioactive decay?
An imbalance of neutrons and protons in the nucleus, leading to instability.