| A | B |
|---|
| monomer | a single unit of a substance, "one part" |
| polymer | chains of monomers, "many parts" |
| radioactivity | release of energy and matter that results from changes in the nucleus |
| alpha particle | weakest type of radiation, consists of 2 protons and 2 neutrons |
| beta particle | 10 times stronger than alpha, a single electron |
| gamma ray | the strongest type of radiation, electromagnetic waves |
| isotope | atom that has the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons |
| half-life | the amount of time it takes one half of the atoms to decay |
| nuclear fission | splitting a nucleus into 2 smaller nuclei |
| nuclear fusion | joining of 2 nuclei to form one larger nucleus |
| radium and polonium | radioactive elements discovered by the Curies |
| uranium | element studied by Bacquerel |
| radiation sickness | damage to the body's tissues due to radiation exposure |
| nuclear chain reaction | a single nucleus splits, causing trillions of other nuclei to split |
| natural polymer | polymer found in nature, cotton, silk, wool |
| synthetic polymer | man-made polymer, created with chemistry |
