IP Physics Notes (Upper Secondary, Year 3-4): 17) Radioactivity

Q: What does IP Physics Notes (Upper Secondary, Year 3-4): 17) Radioactivity cover?
A: Trace nuclear structure, alpha/beta/gamma emissions, half-life maths, and safety protocols for IP nuclear physics.

Quick recap -- Unstable nuclei shed energy by emitting alpha, beta, or gamma radiation. Identify the emission, update the nuclide notation, and use half-life reasoning to track activity changes.

Keep your practice loop tight via our IP Physics tuition hub-it links each topic here to quizzes, diagnostics, and WA-style problem sets.

Rutherford Scattering Recap

• Most alpha particles passed straight through gold foil -> atoms mostly empty space.
• Some deflected at large angles -> positive charge concentrated in tiny nucleus.
• A few rebounded -> nucleus is dense and carries most mass.
• Led to nuclear model: central nucleus (protons + neutrons) with orbiting electrons.

Nuclear Notation & Isotopes

• Nuclide represented as $^A_Z \text{X}$ where $A$ is nucleon number, $Z$