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22 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Decay Series |
A series of radioactive decay steps that takes an unstable nuclide to a position of stability |
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Significance of finding polonium radio-halos in granite |
they should not be found in rocks that took millions of years to cool |
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3 assumptions of radiometric dating methods |
1. We know the original ratio of "parent" to "daughter" element 2. They decay rate has always been constant 3. The quantities between intermediates can be considered negligible compared to the parent and daughter elements |
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Radioactive decay |
occurs when a nucleus spontaneously decomposes, forming a different nucleus |
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trans-uranium elements |
they are nuclear transformations and it is the change from one element to another occurs when a nuclide is bombarded with another nucleus at a high rate of speed in a particle accelerator |
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Geiger counter |
measures radioactivity by making a clicking noise |
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Scintillator |
measures radioactivity by flashing light |
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Limitations of radiometric dating |
1.only considered accurate up to 2-5 half lives 2. Who knows of the rate o decay has always been the same 3.scientists will obtain several different dates and choose the one that they want 4. There might have been at one time much less C-14 in the atmosphere 5. You can't carbon date something that wasn't at one point living |
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radio tracers |
radioactive nuclides that can be put in food or drugs and can monitor radioactivity, non surgical ways to learn about things |
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Fission |
the splitting of a heavy nucleus into two nuclei with smaller mass numbers, produce at least one neutron |
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fussion |
combining two light nuclei to form a heavier nucleus, more energy is used, only occurs naturally in the sun |
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core |
the spot in the reactor where the uranium is kept housed in the metal cylinder, water is circulated here and turns to steam to turn the turbine |
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moderator |
surrounds the cylinder to slow down the neutrons so the uranium can capture them better |
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control rods |
absorbs neutrons and help regulate the power level, in a malfunction the control rods are inserted into the core to absorb neutrons and stop the reaction |
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breeder reactors |
produce material that can undergo fission and they can cause it to do so |
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Somatic effects of radiation |
damage to the organism itself, sickness, death, etc. |
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genetic effects of radiation |
damage to the genetic makeup and reproductive skills |
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penetrating power of the particle |
gamma-highly penetrating beta-about 1cm alpha-stopped by the skin |
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ionizing ability of the particle |
gamma-not much ionization of the atoms or molecules of the cell alpha-dont penetrate much but can ionize atoms easily so they cause lots of damage |
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level of danger to humans is measured in? |
rem |
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saturated hydrocarbons |
contain all hydrogens possible |
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unsaturated hydrocarbons |
could hold more hydrogens |