Nuclear Physics

2. a type of radioactive decay in which a beta particle is emitted from an atomic nucleus, transforming the original nuclide to an isobar of that nuclide.
5. the total number of protons and neutrons in a nucleus.
7. the minimum energy that would be required to disassemble the nucleus of an atom into its component parts.
12. the time taken for the radioactivity of a specified isotope to fall to half its original value.
13. energy carried by atoms.
15. any of a number of subatomic particles carrying a fractional electric charge, postulated as building blocks of the hadrons.

1. the minimum energy that would be required to disassemble the nucleus of an atom into its component parts.
3. a type of radioactive decay in which an atomic nucleus emits an alpha particle and thereby transforms or 'decays' into a different atomic nucleus, with a mass number that is reduced by four and an atomic number that is reduced by two.
4. each of two or more forms of the same element that contain equal numbers of protons but different numbers of neutrons in their nuclei, and hence differ in relative atomic mass but not in chemical properties; in particular, a radioactive form of an element.
6. a penetrating form of electromagnetic radiation arising from the radioactive decay of atomic nuclei.
8. a nuclear reaction or a radioactive decay process in which the nucleus of an atom splits into two or more smaller, lighter nuclei.
9. a chemical reaction or other process in which the products themselves promote or spread the reaction, which under certain conditions may accelerate dramatically.
10. the process or result of joining two or more things together to form a single entity.
11. a rod of a neutron-absorbing substance used to vary the output power of a nuclear reactor.
14. a medium that reduces the speed of fast neutrons, ideally without capturing any, leaving them as thermal neutrons with only minimal (thermal) kinetic energy.