Work through the list without notes. If you cannot do a statement, follow its link, then come back. Guide = study guide; Practice = practice questions.
Understanding
- I can describe an alpha particle and explain why it is not a helium atom. (Guide: “The particles involved”; Practice Q1)
- I can describe a positron, a neutrino and an antineutrino, giving the charge and mass of each. (Guide: “The particles involved”)
- I can explain why neutrinos pass through ordinary matter almost without interacting. (Guide: “The particles involved”; Practice Q3)
- I can explain that the type of decay depends on the isotope, not just the element. (Guide: “Why a nucleus decays, and what decides how”)
- I can explain when gamma decay happens and why it changes neither A nor Z. (Guide: “The four types of decay”; Practice Q4)
Calculation and skills
- I can write the general equation for alpha, beta-minus, beta-plus and gamma decay, and say what happens to a nucleon in each beta decay. (Guide: “The four types of decay”; Practice Q5)
- I can check any decay equation for nucleon number, charge and lepton number. (Guide: “Conservation rules for every decay”; Practice Q2, Q5)
- I can find an unknown particle or product from the conservation rules. (Guide: Worked example 1; Practice Q1)
- I can count the alpha and beta decays in a chain from the start and end nuclei. (Guide: Worked example 2)
- I can draw each decay as a move on a chart of proton number against neutron number. (Guide: Figure 1; Practice Q6)
Reasoning
- I can tell whether two nuclei are the same nucleus, isotopes of one element, or different elements. (Practice Q6c)
- I can use momentum and energy conservation to find how the energy of an alpha decay is shared. (Guide: Worked example 3; Practice Q7a)
- I can explain why alpha particles from one decay have a single energy but beta electrons have a range, and what that shows about neutrinos. (Guide: Worked example 3; Practice Q7b–c)
All ticked? This is the last topic of the course. Look back at Topic 15.7: Fission, Fusion and Nuclear Decay for half-life and mass-energy, or return to the course roadmap to plan your review.