*RADIOACTIVITY

*DEFINITION*

This is a spontaneous decay or disintegration of the nucleus of the atom of an element during
which it emits α , β and γ rays or a combination of any of the three and energy (heat)

*RADIOACTIVE ELEMENTS*

These are those elements that spontaneously emit radiation from their nucleus e.g radium ,
throrium , radon , ionium , polonium e.t.c

*HALF LIFE*

The half life of a radioactive element is the time taken for half of the atoms initially present in
the element decay

*DECAY CONSTANT*

This is defined as the instantaneous rate of decay per unit atom of the substance

*RADIO ISOTOPES*

This is also known as radioactive isotopes, these are isotopes made artificially by bombarding
neutrons or protons or deuterons

*Examples include :*

1 ⃣ Isotope sulphur - 35 made by bombarding sulphur 34 by neutrons

2 ⃣ Isotope cobalt - 60 was made by bombarding normal cobalt - 59 by neutrons
3 ⃣ Carbon - 12 was produced by the reaction between α particles and beryllium nuclei
*USES OF RADIOISOTOPES*

1. Used as medicine

2. Used in industry to study defects in metals and welded joints

3. In agriculture as radioactive traces and preservatives

4. In geological reaction for radio - dating

*NUCLEAR FISSION*

This is the ''splitting'' up of the nucleus of a heavy element into two approximate ''equal parts''
with release of a ''huge amount'' of energy and neutrons
*NUCLEAR FUSSION*

This is the process in which two or more light nuclei *''combine''* or fuse to form a heavier
nucleus with the release of a large amount of energy.

*FURTHER JAMB POTENTIAL EXAM POINTS*

*Transmutation*

This is the change in the nuclei of an element into the nuclei of another when bombarded with
neutrons or protons or α - particles.

*Nuclear Fission*

This is the splitting up of the nucleus of a heavy element into two approximate equal parts with
the release of a huge amount of energy and neutrons.

*Nuclear Fusion*

This is the process in which two or more light nuclei combine/join/fuse to form a heavier
nucleus with the release of a huge amount of energy.

*NOTE!!*

In nature, nuclear fusion occurs in the sun and stars due to the presence of isotopes of
hydrogen and extreme temperature in the interior.

*Advantages of Fusion over fission*

1. Fusion is more easily achieved with lightest elements such as hydrogen and nuclear repulsion
is easily overcome as nuclei approach each other

2. The raw materials required for fusion are cheaper and readily available

3. Fusion process produces less harmful by - products

4. There is no upper limit to the mass of hydrogen that can be exposed in a nuclear fusion
process, in that case very huge energy can be obtained from the process.

*Functions of nuclear fission reaction*

1. *Moderator* : This is used to reduce the speed of the neutrons released.

2. *Control rods* : This is used to control the rate of neutrons production

3. *Coolant* : This is used to reduce the excessive heat produced in the reaction, so that the
reactor is not too hot.
*NEVER FORGET!*

The fuel in a nuclear fusion is *HYDROGEN!!*

*PROPERTIES OF EMITTED PARTICLES*

*1 ⃣NATURE*
- Alpha particles exists as Heluim nuclei ( ⁴₂He)

- Beta particles exists as electrons

- Gamma rays exists as Electromagnetic waves with very short wavelength

*2 ⃣ VELOCITY*
- Alpha particles travels at 5 - 7% speed of light

- Beta particles travels at approximately speed of light

- Gamma rays travels at speed of light

*3 ⃣CHARGE*
- Alpha particles are +2e (+3.2 × 10^-19)

- Beta particles are -e (-1.6 × 10^-19)

- Gamma rays are electrically neutral

*4 ⃣MASS*
- Alpha particles are relatively massive

- Beta particles are relatively light

- Gamma rays are negligible in mass

*5 ⃣EFFECT ON MAGNETIC FIELD*

- Alpha particles are slightly deflected in a magnetic field in a direction exceped for a positive
charge
(Alpha particles are deleted to the south pole)

- Beta particles are strongly deflected in a magnetic field in a direction expected of a - ve charge

(Beta particles are deflected to the north pole)

- Gamma rays are not deflected

*6 ⃣IONISING POWER*
- Alpha particles has a large ionising power

- Beta particles have a medium ionising power of about 0.1% of Alpha particles

- Gamma rays have a very small ionising power

*7 ⃣PENETRATING POWER*
- Alpha particles have low penetrating power , they can pass through thin sheets of paper

- Beta particles have a good penetrating power as they can pass through several millimetres of
Aluminium

- Gamma rays have high penetrating power as they can pass through many centimetres of lead
block

*8 ⃣FLORESCENCE*
- Alpha particles cause florescence in ZnS

- Beta and gamma rays don't.

*THEORITICAL QUESTIONS ON RADIOACTIVITY*

1. A beta particle has the characteristics of?

A. a helium nucleus

B. an electron

C. a hydrogen nucleus

D. an electromagnetic radiation

2. Which of the following statements about the isotopes of an element is not correct? They ____
A. are atoms of the same element.

B. have the same chemical properties

C. have the same nucleon number.

D. have the same proton number.

3. Which of the rays has the greatest penetrating power?

A. Beta particle

B. Radio wave

C. Infra – red ray

D. Gamma ray

4. Which of the following radiations emitted in a radioactive decay has momentum, a fairly high
penetrating power and is reflected by a magnet?

A. Alpha particle

B. Beta particle

C. Gamma - radiation

D. X - Radiation

5. If an atom were to lose a neutron, a change would occur in its

I. mass number

II. atomic number

III. number of electrons.

A. I only

B. II only.

C. III only

D. I, II and III

6. Which of the following statements is not applicable in explaining nuclear fusion?

A. The nuclei must overcome the electrical repulsion of their positive charges.

B. For fusion to occur, the nuclei must come together to within the range of the nuclear force.

C. The electrostatic potential energy of the nuclei represents the initial kinetic energy which the
fusion nuclei must have.

D. The energy required for fusion to occur could be obtained at standard temperature and
pressure.

7. Which of the following elements is a nuclear fuel in fusion reaction?

A. Uranium

B. Plutonium

C. Helium

D. Hydrogen

8. Which of the following materials is used in a nuclear reactor to slow down fast moving
neutrons?

A. Graphite rods

B. Concrete shields

C. Boron rods

D. Carbon (IV) oxide

9. Which of the following is/are not affected by magnetic field?

I. Neutron II. cathode rays III. Alpha particles

A. I only

B. II only

C. II and III only

D. I, II and III

10. Which of the following is not correct about isotopes of an

element? They have?

A. the same neutron number

B. the same proton number

C. the same number of electrons

D. the same chemical properties

11. Which of the following is not an electromagnetic radiation?

A. X – rays

B. Radio waves

C. Sunlight

D. Sound waves

12. Which of the following is the correct definition of half-life?

A. The average life-time of a radioactive material

B. The time it takes a radioactive material to decay by half of its original quantity

C. Half the period a radioactive material decays completely

D. The decay constant times life-time

13. Which type of radiation does not originate within the nucleus?

A. Alpha

B. Beta

C. Gamma

D. Neutron

E. X-rays

14. What type of reaction is represented by the following

scheme?

²₁X + ²₁Y --> ³₂Z + ¹₀n + energy

A. Fusion reaction

B. Fision reaction

C. Chain reaction

D. Radioactive reaction

15. Cancerous cells can be destroyed by?

A. ultraviolet rays

B. alpha particles

C. X-rays

D. Infrared rays

16. Gamma rays are produced when?

A. high velocity electrons are abruptly stopped in metals

B. energy changes occur within the nucleus of atoms

C. Energy changes occur within the electronic structure of atoms

D. Electrons are deflected in very strong magnetic fields

17. Which of the following are produced after a nuclear fusion

process?

I. One heavy nucleus

II. Neutrons

III. Protons

IV. Energy

A. I and II

B. I and IV

C. II and III

D. II and IV
18. One of the features of the fission process is that?

A. its products are not radioactive

B. it leads to chain reaction

C. neutrons are not released

D. the sum of the masses of the reactants equals the sum

of the masses of the products

19. The graphite rods surrounding the uranium fuel rods in a nuclear reactor, are used to?

A. absorb the neutrons and hence halt the nuclear process

B. create the neutrons and hence start up the nuclear process

C. slow down the neutrons and hence slow the nuclear process

D. speed up the neutrons and hence speed up the nuclear process

20. The particle that is responsible for nuclear fission in nuclear

reactor is?

A. electron

B. photon

C. neutron

D. proton

21. The process of energy production in the sun is?

A. nuclear fusion

B. nuclear fission

C. radioactive decay

D. electron collision
22. Which of the following metals will provide the greatest shield against ionizing radiation?

A. Aluminium

B. Iron

C. Lead

D. Manganese

23. The difference between X-rays and gamma rays is that?

A. X-rays are more penetrating than gamma rays

B. X-rays are electromagnetic radiations while gamma rays are negatively charged radiations

C. X-rays have higher frequencies than gamma rays

D. X-rays arises from the energy changes in the electronic structure of atom of atoms while
gamma rays come form the nucleus.