Radioactivity key terms

Radioactivity key terms

1. alpha radiation

   • alpha particles, each composed of two protons and two neutrons, emitted by unstable nuclei

2. atomic number

   • the number of protons (which equals the number of electrons) in an atom. It is sometimes called the proton number

3. Beta radiation

   • beta particles that are high energy electrons created in, and emitted from, unstable nuclei

4. chain reaction

   • reactions in which one reaction causes further reactions, which in turn cause further reactions, etc.

5. count rate

   • the number of counts per second detected by a Geiger counter