College Physics

activity:

alpha decay:

alpha rays:

antielectron:

antimatter:

atomic mass:

atomic number:

barrier penetration:

becquerel:

beta decay:

beta rays:

binding energy per nucleon:

binding energy:

carbon-14 dating:

chart of the nuclides:

curie:

daughter:

decay constant:

decay equation:

decay series:

decay:

electron capture equation:

electron capture:

electron’s antineutrino:

electron’s neutrino:

Geiger tube:

gamma decay:

gamma rays:

half-life:

ionizing radiation:

PhET Explorations: Quantum Tunneling and Wave Packets

Watch quantum "particles" tunnel through barriers. Explore the properties of the wave functions that describe these particles.

Figure 31.34 Quantum Tunneling and Wave Packets (http://cnx.org/content/m42644/1.4/quantum-tunneling_en.jar)

Glossary

the rate of decay for radioactive nuclides

type of radioactive decay in which an atomic nucleus emits an alpha particle

one of the types of rays emitted from the nucleus of an atom

another term for positron

composed of antiparticles

the total mass of the protons, neutrons, and electrons in a single atom

number of protons in a nucleus

quantum mechanical effect whereby a particle has a nonzero probability to cross through a potential energy barrier despite

not having sufficient energy to pass over the barrier; also called quantum mechanical tunneling

SI unit for rate of decay of a radioactive material

type of radioactive decay in which an atomic nucleus emits a beta particle

one of the types of rays emitted from the nucleus of an atom

the binding energy calculated per nucleon; it reveals the details of the nuclear force—larger theBE /A, the more

stable the nucleus

the energy needed to separate nucleus into individual protons and neutrons

a radioactive dating technique based on the radioactivity of carbon-14

a table comprising stable and unstable nuclei

the activity of 1g of^226 Ra, equal to3.70×10^10 Bq

the nucleus obtained when parent nucleus decays and produces another nucleus following the rules and the conservation laws

quantity that is inversely proportional to the half-life and that is used in equation for number of nuclei as a function of time

the equation to find out how much of a radioactive material is left after a given period of time

process whereby subsequent nuclides decay until a stable nuclide is produced

the process by which an atomic nucleus of an unstable atom loses mass and energy by emitting ionizing particles

equation representing the electron capture

the process in which a proton-rich nuclide absorbs an inner atomic electron and simultaneously emits a neutrino

antiparticle of electron’s neutrino

a subatomic elementary particle which has no net electric charge

a very common radiation detector that usually gives an audio output

type of radioactive decay in which an atomic nucleus emits a gamma particle

one of the types of rays emitted from the nucleus of an atom

the time in which there is a 50% chance that a nucleus will decay

radiation (whether nuclear in origin or not) that produces ionization whether nuclear in origin or not

1140 CHAPTER 31 | RADIOACTIVITY AND NUCLEAR PHYSICS

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