Chapter 7

By:CHAISE The SHAUNKI:)

Criteria
Content:

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Clarity:

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Engagement:

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Total: 20 Marks

Aneesha / Justin

Define: radioactivity, natural

background radiation
Examples of radiation

Sonia / Satkar /

Define isotopes and how they are

represented

Isotope
Definition: Different atoms of a particular element that have
the same number of protons but different number of neutrons.

- All isotopes have same atomic number(number of protons)

- However the number of neutrons differs, the mass number
and atomic mass differ from one isotope to the next.
- Mass number = atomic number + number of neutrons

Representing Isotopes
- Represented using standard atomic notation.
- Atomic Notation=chemical symbol + atomic number + mass number
-

Mass number- written as subscript(above)on the left.

Atomic number-written as subscript(below)on the left.

Practicing Isotopes
Beryllium:
Calcium:
Potassium:
Cesium:
Barium:

Jovin / Manraj / Mehak

Define radioactive decay, radioisotopes

Radioactive Decay & Radioisotopes

Jovin Manraj Mehak

Radioactive decay
Radioactive decay is the process in which unstable nuclei lose energy
by ejecting radiations.
Unstable nuclei lose energy to to be stable and be non radioactive.
By emitting radiations atom can change into atom of another element.
We can not look at the atom and differentiate if its stable or not.
For example : Carbon 12 and Carbon 13 are stable but not Carbon 14( it
undergoes radioactive decay). They look same but have different
properties, if they decay or not.
1 carbon atom out of 1 trillion atoms of carbon are unstable and emit
radiations

Radioisotopes

Elements that contain equal number of protons

but different number of neutrons in their nuclei
are called Isotopes.
The isotopes that are capable of radioactive
decay are called Radioisotopes.
It is not easy to judge whether an isotope just
by look at the nuclear symbol.

Isot
ope
na
me

Nu
cle
ar
Sy
mb
ol

Car
bon
- 12

12

Car
bon
- 13
Car
bon
- 14

13

14

Ma
ss
nu
mb
er

Ato
mic
nu
mb
er

Ne
utro
ns

Sta
bilit
y

12

sta
ble

13

sta
ble

14

Un
sta
ble
and
emi

Thank
You!

Harsimran / Jaskirat / Pawaneet

3 Types of Radiation
Gamma Radiation( )- Harsimran
Beta Radiation( )- Pawaneet
Alpha Radiation( )-

Alpha Radiation()
Same combination of particles as the nucleus of a helium atom.
Represented by 42 or 42He
Has a charge of 2+
Most massive and slowest moving of the three types of radiation.
Least penetrating of all three types.
Easily stopped.
Alpha decay: Only occurs to very heavy elements. An alpha particle is emitted
from a radioactive nucleus. When a radioactive nucleus emits an alpha particle,
the product nucleus has an atomic number that is lowered by 2 and a mass

Beta Radiation ( )
A beta particle is an electron so, it has a charge of negative 1.
Beta particles have a greater penetrating power than alpha particles because
beta particles are lightweight and fast moving.
A thin sheet of aluminum foil can block beta particles, still some atoms undergo
beta decay.
In beta decay, the neutron changes into a proton and an electron. The proton
remains in the nucleus while the electron shoots out from the nucleus with a lot
of energy. The atomic number of the element increases by one because the
proton remains in the nucleus.

Gamma Radiation ()
Made of rays with: high-energy, short-wavelength radiation
Almost has no charge and mass
Has the most strong radiation from all three radiations
Thick blocks of dense material (lead and concrete) necessary to stop gamma rays
Gamma decay: forms from redistribution of energy within the nucleus. When the
Isotope falls from a high-energy state to a lower energy state, a high energy
gamma ray is given off

Dont understand yet? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oUagoF_viQ

Radiocarbon dating,
Half Life, and
Decay Curve
Jagmeet, Chirag, Imanpreet

Radiocarbon dating
Radiocarbon dating (also referred to as carbon dating)
Object containing organic material are studied by determining the age of carbon
contained in the material
Willard Frank Libby American physical chemist
Discovered this technique in 1949 which revolutionized the study or archaeology
For example, wooden archaeological artifacts or ancient human remains from
the distant past are items that can be studied using this method.
Goes back 62,000 years.

Half Life
Half Life is the time taken for radioactivity of a specified radioisotope to fall to half
its original value.
Half-life is used to compare the rate of radioactive decay
The shorter the half-life the faster the decay
All radioactive decay rates follow similar pattern called the decay curve
The difference between different radioisotopes is the length of their half-live

Decay Curve
Carbon 14 Half-Life Decay
HalfLife

Amount
of
Carbon14 (%)

Years
Elaps
ed

Mass
(gram
s)

100%

10

50%

5700

25%

11 400

2.5

12.5%

17
100

1.25

6.3%

22
800

0.63

3.1%

28

0.31

VS

Decay Curve

Decay Curve
A decay curve is a graph that shows the rate
of radioactivity decay.
As you can see from the picture, it is curved.
This is a much better representation of
showing half-life decay

Harmanjot / Raman

Explain the potassium-40 clock

Potassium-40
Potassium 40 (40K) is an unstable isotope of Potassium. Contains an extra
neutron.
Half Life = 1.3 Billion Years
Potassium-40 is very helpful for radioisotope dating.
Effective dating range is 10 000 to 3 billion years.
Daughter isotopes are Argon-40 and Calcium-40

How Potassium-40 Clock Works

Molten rock containing 40K will contain 40Ar,
which will be released while the rock cools.
This sets the clock zero. No 40Ar is present
at this time.
Over time, the 40K decays into 40Ar.
The measure of the 40Ar determines how old
the rock is.
40

K = 40Ar means the rock is 1.3 billion years old.

< 40Ar means the rock is older than 1.3 billion

years.
40

Guntaj / Gursimar

Do and explain an example of

calculating half life

Guntaj / Gursimar
-

The time taken for the radioactivity of a specified isotope to fall to half its original
value.

Each radioisotope has its own half life

The half life of copper-67 is 3 days. What fraction of the sample will remain after 9
days
Half
Life

Time

Sam