Unit 4 Vocab - Charles Reichert

4. the atom that undergoes radioactive decay in a nuclear reaction; the original element
5. a high-speed electron or positron emitted in the decay of a radioactive isotope
7. The process by which two or more small nuclei fuse to make a bigger nucleus, while also releasing huge amounts of energy
11. A reaction that involves a change in the nucleus of an atom
14. An isotope whose nucleus decays spontaneously, giving off particles and/or energy.
17. High-energy, shortwave radiation emitted by the nuclei of radioactive atoms.
19. A nuclear reaction in which a massive nucleus splits into smaller nuclei with the simultaneous release of energy

1. A nuclear reaction in which a radioactive atom emits an alpha particle consisting of two protons and two neutrons (helium-4).
2. nuclear decay that involves the release of gamma radiation
3. the process in which a radioactive isotope tends to break down into a stable isotope of the same element or another element
6. Determined by the ratio of protons to neutrons in the nucleus for an isotope
8. The transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves
9. Ability of radiation to pass through materials.
10. the stable atom that results from the decay of a parent atom; the product of radioactive decay.
12. length of time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay
13. radioactive decay of an atomic nucleus that is accompanied by the emission of a beta particle
15. A cluster of 2 protons and 2 neutrons (helium-4) emitted from a nucleus
16. Atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons
18. The process of determining the age of an object using the half-life of one or more radioactive isotopes.