The French scientist, pictured on the right, discovered radioactivity while experimenting with uranium salts - Leaving Cert Chemistry - Question (b) - 2009
Question (b)
The French scientist, pictured on the right, discovered radioactivity while experimenting with uranium salts.
(i) Name the French scientist.
(ii) What is radioacti... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:The French scientist, pictured on the right, discovered radioactivity while experimenting with uranium salts - Leaving Cert Chemistry - Question (b) - 2009
Step 1
Name the French scientist.
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Answer
The French scientist who discovered radioactivity is Henri Becquerel. He conducted experiments with uranium salts that led to the identification of this phenomenon.
Step 2
What is radioactivity?
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Answer
Radioactivity is the spontaneous disintegration (breakdown) of the nucleus of an atom, which emits radiation in the form of particles or electromagnetic waves. This process occurs as unstable atomic nuclei seek to reach a more stable configuration.
Step 3
Name one type of radiation emitted by radioactive substances. Describe its penetrating ability in air, and state its charge, if any.
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One type of radiation emitted by radioactive substances is alpha radiation (α). Alpha particles have a poor penetrating ability in air, typically traveling only a few centimeters before being stopped by air molecules. They carry a positive charge.
Step 4
Give an example of a radioactive isotope and state one of its uses.
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An example of a radioactive isotope is Carbon-14 (C-14). It is commonly used for carbon dating, which allows scientists to determine the age of archaeological samples by measuring the concentration of C-14 remaining in organic materials.
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