Radioactive Elements

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RadioactiveElements
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Types of Radioactive Particles

• Alpha Particles 2 protons and 2 neutrons
• Ex. Uranium-238 ? Thorium-234 Helium-4
• Lowest energy
• Beta Particles come from the splitting of a
  neutron into a proton and an electron.
• Mass stays the same, of protons goes up,
• of neutrons goes down
• Ex. Thornium -234 ? Protactinium 234
  electron
• Higher energy
• Gamma emits a photon. No change in Mass,
  proton, neutron, or electron
• Highest energy

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Half Life

• Half life measures decay rate
• Half life refers to amount of time it takes for ½
  of the radio active sample to decay
• Half life for a particular isotope is always the
  same
• Ex. Every1620 years ½ of sample of radium-226
  will have decayed.