Making Sense: Nuclear Quest

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Making Sense Nuclear Quest

• Page 56

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Making Sense p. 56 (Nuclear Quest)

• In a nuclear reaction, there are several ways a
  nucleus of an atom can change radioactive decay,
  fission, and fusion.
• Radioactive decay has two forms alpha decay and
  beta decay.

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• During alpha decay a nucleus is splitting into
  two smaller elements, one is always a helium atom
  with 2 protons and 2 neutrons. The remaining atom
  decreases atomic number by 2 and decreases mass
  number by 4.

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• During beta decay a neutron inside the nucleus of
  an atom emits an electron and that neutron
  becomes a proton. So the remaining atomic number
  increases by 1.

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• The process of splitting a large nucleus into
  smaller ones is called nuclear fission.

http//library.thinkquest.org/17940/texts/fission/
fission.html
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• Fission, alpha decay, and beta decay release
  energy in the form of gamma rays (? rays).
• The release of gamma rays causes no change to an
  atom. It is harmful to living things.

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Making Sense (contd)

• Nuclear fusion is the joining of two nuclei which
  requires extreme temperatures and great amount of
  energy.