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Which naturally occurring radioactive particle is the largest?
Alpha particles are the same size as a helium nucleus and are made up of 2 protons and two neutrons. They have no electrons so an alpha particle has a +2 charge
What happens when uranium gives off an alpha particle?
When uranium gives off an alpha particle, it undergoes radioactive decay and transforms into a different element. The alpha particle emitted is composed of two protons and two neutrons, equivalent to a helium-4 nucleus. This process helps to stabilize the atomic nucleus by reducing its size and releasing energy.
Are alpha particles big or small?
Absolutely small ... they're the nucleus of a helium atom (2protons & 2 neutrons) - But they are gigantic as compared to a beta particle ... which is just a free electron. - Note that gamma rays don't have any (rest) mass ... they're just radiation.
If an particle hits a gold nucleus in a head on collision the particle will not be deflected very much?
Correct, due to the massive size of the gold nucleus compared to the size of the incoming particle, the particle will not experience a large deflection in a head-on collision. This is because of the concentrated positive charge in a small space in the gold nucleus that causes a very strong Coulomb repulsion when the incoming particle gets close to it.
Why do non-radioactive substances become radioactive when placed near a radium compound?
Radium, being radioactive, will irradiate and activate some things placed near a sample. The element radium in its "natural" form is an alpha particle emitter, and things that get hit by an alpha particle have a chance of undergoing nuclear transformation. An alpha particle, which is emitted by a 226Ra atom when it decays, is a helium-4 nucleus. It's composed of two protons and two neutrons. This is a "heavy hitter" as regards particulate radiation. It won't travel far, even in air, because it is too massive and it "runs into stuff" in scattering reactions because of its size. But when it reacts with a nucleus, things happen. That's how some materials near a radium source become radioactive.
What is the size of the atom in helium?
The size of an atom is typically measured in terms of its atomic radius, which for helium is approximately 31 picometers (pm), or 0.31 angstroms. This corresponds to the distance from the nucleus to the outermost electron cloud in a helium atom.
What is size of beta particles?
Alpha radiation is essentially a Helium nucleus without any electrons- thus an alpha particle is as large as the four constituent nucleons.Gamma radiation is made up of photons- thus gamma radiation is much like light in that it is energy traveling in a wave with particle properties.
What makes an element unstable or radioactive?
The stability of an atom depends on a balance between the numbers of protons and neutrons in its nucleus and also on the total size of its nucleus; atoms with sufficiently large nuclei are inherently unstable. Please see the link.
Does helium have smaller particles than nitrogen or oxygen?
Helium has smaller particles than nitrogen or oxygen. Helium atoms are smaller in size, as they have fewer protons and neutrons in their nucleus compared to nitrogen or oxygen atoms. This smaller size allows helium atoms to move more freely and escape into the atmosphere, which is why helium is a lighter gas.
Which noble gas has the least number of protons?
Radon (as down a group, the atomic size increases and the ionization energy decreases)
Which element has the largest atom Helium or argon?
Argon has a higher mass number which means it has more particles in its nucleus than helium so I would go with argon.
What is the Diameter of a helium atom in meters?
The diameter of a helium atom is approximately 0.1 nanometers, or 1 angstrom. In meters, this translates to about 1 × 10^-10 meters. Helium atoms are among the smallest atoms, with their size largely determined by the electron cloud surrounding the nucleus.
