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Band of Stability: Alpha Decay & Nuclear Fission definitions

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  • Radioactive Isotopes
    Unstable isotopes with an imbalance in neutron and proton numbers, often undergoing decay to achieve stability.
  • Alpha Decay
    A process where an isotope emits an alpha particle to reduce nucleons and move towards stability.
  • Nuclear Fission
    A reaction where an isotope is bombarded with a neutron, splitting into lighter nuclides and releasing energy.
  • Band of Stability
    A region on the neutron-to-proton plot where stable isotopes reside, with balanced neutron and proton numbers.
  • Alpha Particle
    A particle consisting of 2 protons and 2 neutrons, emitted during alpha decay.
  • Neutron
    A subatomic particle with no charge, playing a key role in nuclear reactions like fission.
  • Proton
    A positively charged subatomic particle found in the nucleus, affecting an isotope's stability.
  • Nucleons
    Collective term for protons and neutrons in an atomic nucleus.
  • Chain Reaction
    A self-sustaining series of reactions where products initiate further reactions, common in fission.
  • Daughter Nuclides
    Stable isotopes produced from the decay or fission of a parent isotope.
  • Mega Electron Volts
    A unit of energy used to express the energy released in nuclear reactions.
  • Neutron-to-Proton Plot
    A graph showing the relationship between neutrons and protons, indicating stability.
  • Parent Nuclide
    The original unstable isotope that undergoes decay or fission to form daughter nuclides.
  • Atomic Mass Unit
    A unit of mass used to express atomic and molecular weights, crucial in identifying isotopes.
  • Electron Capture
    A process where an inner orbital electron is captured by the nucleus, altering the isotope's stability.