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Created page with "==Key Stage 4== ===Meaning=== '''Radioactive decay''' is when an unstable isotope emits a particle or [[Electromagnetic Wave|electromagnetic wave]..."
==Key Stage 4==
===Meaning===
'''Radioactive decay''' is when an [[Unstable Isotope|unstable isotope]] [[emit]]s a [[particle]] or [[Electromagnetic Wave|electromagnetic wave]] to become more [[Stable Isotope|stable]].
===About Radioactive Decay===
: During a '''radioactive decay''' an [[Unstable Isotope|unstable isotope]] may [[emit]]:
:*[[Alpha Radiation]] - An [[Ionising Radiation|ionising radiation]] which is two [[proton]]s and two [[neutron]]s (a [[Helium]] [[Atomic Nucleus|nucleus]]).
:*[[Beta Radiation]] - An [[Ionising Radiation|ionising radiation]] which is a fast moving [[electron]] ejected from the [[Atomic Nucleus|nucleus]].
:*[[Gamma Radiation]] - An [[Ionising Radiation|ionising radiation]] which is a very high [[frequency]] [[Electromagnetic Wave|electromagnetic wave]] [[emit]]ted from the [[Atomic Nucleus|nucleus]].
:*[[Neutron Radiation]] - A form of indirectly [[Ionising Radiation|ionising radiation]] consisting of a single [[neutron]] ejected from the [[Atomic Nucleus|nucleus]]. It causes [[Ionising Radiation|ionisation]] by causing other [[element]]s to become [[Unstable Isotope|unstable]] releasing [[Gamma-ray|gamma radiation]].
: The rate of [[Radioactive Decay|radioactive decay]] is known as the '[[Half Life]]' which is how long it takes for half of the [[Unstable Isotope|unstable isotopes]] in a sample of [[radioactive]] [[material]] to '''decay'''. This [[time]] is a constant for each type of [[radioactive]] [[material]] regardless of the quantity of [[Unstable Isotope|unstable isotopes]].
===Examples===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|[[File:NuclearKey.png|center|200px]]
| style="height:20px; width:400px; text-align:center;" |This is a key to show the types of [[particle]]s in the following [[Radioactive Decay|decays]] of [[Unstable Isotope|unstable nuclei]].
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|[[File:AlphaDecay3.png|center|300px]]
|[[File:BetaDecay3.png|center|300px]]
|-
| style="height:20px; width:300px; text-align:center;" |This [[Atomic Nucleus|nucleus]] is [[Unstable Isotope|unstable]] because it is too [[massive]] and has too few [[neutron]]s relative to [[proton]]s so it [[Radioactive Decay|decays]] via [[Alpha Radiation|alpha emission]] reducing the [[Relative Atomic Mass|atomic mass]] by 4 and the [[Atomic Number|atomic number]] by 2.
<math>{}_Z^AX \rightarrow {}_{Z-2}^{A-4}Y + {}_2^4\alpha</math>
| style="height:20px; width:300px; text-align:center;" |This [[Atomic Nucleus|nucleus]] is [[Unstable Isotope|unstable]] because it is too many [[neutron]]s so it [[Radioactive Decay|decay]]s via [[Beta Radiation|beta emission]] in which a [[neutron]] turns into a [[proton]] increasing the [[Atomic Number|atomic number]] by 1.
<math>{}_Z^AX \rightarrow {}_{Z+1}^{A}Y + {}_{-1}^0\beta</math>
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|[[File:GammaDecay3.png|center|300px]]
|[[File:NeutronDecay3.png|center|300px]]
|-
| style="height:20px; width:300px; text-align:center;" |This [[Atomic Nucleus|nucleus]] is [[Unstable Isotope|unstable]] because it is has excess [[Vibrational Energy|vibrational energy]] so it [[Radioactive Decay|decays]] by [[emit]]ting a [[Gamma Radiation|gamma ray]]. After the [[Radioactive Decay|decay]] it still has the same [[Relative Atomic Mass|atomic mass]] and [[Atomic Number|atomic number]] but is no longer [[vibrating]].
<math>{}_Z^AX \rightarrow {}_Z^AX + {}_0^0\gamma</math>
| style="height:20px; width:300px; text-align:center;" |This [[Atomic Nucleus|nucleus]] is [[Unstable Isotope|unstable]] because it has too many [[neutron]]s relative to [[proton]]s so it [[Radioactive Decay|decays]] via [[Neutron Radiation|neutron radiation]] reducing the [[Relative Atomic Mass|atomic mass]] by 1.
<math>{}_Z^AX \rightarrow {}_{Z}^{A-1}Y + {}_0^1n</math>
|}
===Extra Information===
{{#ev:youtube|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJgc28csgV0}}
===Meaning===
'''Radioactive decay''' is when an [[Unstable Isotope|unstable isotope]] [[emit]]s a [[particle]] or [[Electromagnetic Wave|electromagnetic wave]] to become more [[Stable Isotope|stable]].
===About Radioactive Decay===
: During a '''radioactive decay''' an [[Unstable Isotope|unstable isotope]] may [[emit]]:
:*[[Alpha Radiation]] - An [[Ionising Radiation|ionising radiation]] which is two [[proton]]s and two [[neutron]]s (a [[Helium]] [[Atomic Nucleus|nucleus]]).
:*[[Beta Radiation]] - An [[Ionising Radiation|ionising radiation]] which is a fast moving [[electron]] ejected from the [[Atomic Nucleus|nucleus]].
:*[[Gamma Radiation]] - An [[Ionising Radiation|ionising radiation]] which is a very high [[frequency]] [[Electromagnetic Wave|electromagnetic wave]] [[emit]]ted from the [[Atomic Nucleus|nucleus]].
:*[[Neutron Radiation]] - A form of indirectly [[Ionising Radiation|ionising radiation]] consisting of a single [[neutron]] ejected from the [[Atomic Nucleus|nucleus]]. It causes [[Ionising Radiation|ionisation]] by causing other [[element]]s to become [[Unstable Isotope|unstable]] releasing [[Gamma-ray|gamma radiation]].
: The rate of [[Radioactive Decay|radioactive decay]] is known as the '[[Half Life]]' which is how long it takes for half of the [[Unstable Isotope|unstable isotopes]] in a sample of [[radioactive]] [[material]] to '''decay'''. This [[time]] is a constant for each type of [[radioactive]] [[material]] regardless of the quantity of [[Unstable Isotope|unstable isotopes]].
===Examples===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|[[File:NuclearKey.png|center|200px]]
| style="height:20px; width:400px; text-align:center;" |This is a key to show the types of [[particle]]s in the following [[Radioactive Decay|decays]] of [[Unstable Isotope|unstable nuclei]].
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|[[File:AlphaDecay3.png|center|300px]]
|[[File:BetaDecay3.png|center|300px]]
|-
| style="height:20px; width:300px; text-align:center;" |This [[Atomic Nucleus|nucleus]] is [[Unstable Isotope|unstable]] because it is too [[massive]] and has too few [[neutron]]s relative to [[proton]]s so it [[Radioactive Decay|decays]] via [[Alpha Radiation|alpha emission]] reducing the [[Relative Atomic Mass|atomic mass]] by 4 and the [[Atomic Number|atomic number]] by 2.
<math>{}_Z^AX \rightarrow {}_{Z-2}^{A-4}Y + {}_2^4\alpha</math>
| style="height:20px; width:300px; text-align:center;" |This [[Atomic Nucleus|nucleus]] is [[Unstable Isotope|unstable]] because it is too many [[neutron]]s so it [[Radioactive Decay|decay]]s via [[Beta Radiation|beta emission]] in which a [[neutron]] turns into a [[proton]] increasing the [[Atomic Number|atomic number]] by 1.
<math>{}_Z^AX \rightarrow {}_{Z+1}^{A}Y + {}_{-1}^0\beta</math>
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|[[File:GammaDecay3.png|center|300px]]
|[[File:NeutronDecay3.png|center|300px]]
|-
| style="height:20px; width:300px; text-align:center;" |This [[Atomic Nucleus|nucleus]] is [[Unstable Isotope|unstable]] because it is has excess [[Vibrational Energy|vibrational energy]] so it [[Radioactive Decay|decays]] by [[emit]]ting a [[Gamma Radiation|gamma ray]]. After the [[Radioactive Decay|decay]] it still has the same [[Relative Atomic Mass|atomic mass]] and [[Atomic Number|atomic number]] but is no longer [[vibrating]].
<math>{}_Z^AX \rightarrow {}_Z^AX + {}_0^0\gamma</math>
| style="height:20px; width:300px; text-align:center;" |This [[Atomic Nucleus|nucleus]] is [[Unstable Isotope|unstable]] because it has too many [[neutron]]s relative to [[proton]]s so it [[Radioactive Decay|decays]] via [[Neutron Radiation|neutron radiation]] reducing the [[Relative Atomic Mass|atomic mass]] by 1.
<math>{}_Z^AX \rightarrow {}_{Z}^{A-1}Y + {}_0^1n</math>
|}
===Extra Information===
{{#ev:youtube|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJgc28csgV0}}