Apex PS Chapter 24 Vocabulary Nuclear Chemistry
alpha particle
a type of nuclear radiation consisting of two protons and two neutrons
beta particle
a high-speed electron or positron emitted in the decay of a radioactive isotope
gamma ray
high-energy radiation that has no electrical charge and no mass,
half life
the period of time in which half of a radioactive substance decays
nuclide
a nucleus of a specific isotope of an element
nuclear fission
process in which a massive nucleus is split into smaller nuclei
nuclear fusion
process in which two small atomic nuclei combine to form a larger nucleus
radioactivity
the emission of high energy waves or particles from the nucleus of an atom
nuclear waste
radioactive material produced by nuclear power plants
chain reaction
a series of nuclear reactions in which the product of one reaction is a reactant in the next reaction
nuclear reactor
uses the energy from controlled nuclear reactions to generate electricity
tracer
a radioactive isotope used in medical tests
transmutation
the change of one chemical element into another by nuclear decay
isotope
atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons
geiger counter
a radiation detector that produces a click or flash of light when a radioactive particle is detected