Introductory Nuclear Chemistry

Nuclear Chemistry

By Maria Woodbury

By the end of this unit

You will be able to:
-understand the historical connection of the development of nuclear technology and its capabilities
-write simple radioactive decay equations and read nuclear decay graphs
-differentiate between nuclear fusion and fission
-discuss the positive and negative impacts of nuclear technology

Word Cloud

What words spring to mind when you hear the word NUCLEAR?

The secret to nuclear power lies in the nucleus of an atom where protons and neutrons are contained

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​It's all about the nucleus

4 fundamental forces of the Universe

Gravitational Force: holds planets in their orbit. This force is the weakest
Weak Force: reason behind certain nuclear decay. This force is the second weakest
Electromagnetic Force: forces between charged particles and magnetic fields
Strong Force: the reason why matter exists- how particles "glue" themselves to others. This force is the strongest in the Universe. It is the force that holds the nucleus together

Reorder

Reorder the following forces from WEAKEST to STRONGEST

• Gravitational

• The Weak Force

• Electromagnetic

• Nuclear Strong Force

1

2

3

4

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4

Why are some elements radioactive?

Atoms are composed of protons, neutrons and electrons
The mass number of the elements is the number of protons PLUS the number of neutrons.
SO
Sodium, Na, has a mass number of 23.
Its atomic number (number of protons) is 11.
Therefore the number of neutrons is? 12

Here is another example:

​Atomic Number= number of protons= number of electrons

Mass number = number of protons + number of neutrons

How many neutrons does Oxygen have?

How many neutrons does Uranium have?

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Depending upon how the element is written, you will sometimes have the mass number at the top!!!!!!!
For nuclear equations- this is what you will use

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​Warning!

Staying stable...

If there is an imbalance between the number of protons or neutrons (that is, there is an excessive number of either of them) the atom is said to be UNSTABLE and may emit radiation or particles to gain stability.

Some elements may be stable, but their ISOTOPES are not.
An isotope of an element has the same number of protons and electrons, but has different number of neutrons.

Carbon has 3 isotopes
(same atomic number, different number of NEUTRONS)
One of them is radioactive and used for carbon dating of ancient artefacts.

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Here's another example:
Iodine-131 is used in some cancer treatments.

BOTH have the same atomic number (and the number of protons and electrons) but a different number of NEUTRONS

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Multiple Choice

The atomic number for sodium (Na) is

• 11

• 23

• 22.9

• 13

Multiple Choice

In order to work out the number of neutrons, which equation would you need?

• A-Z

• A+Z

• Z-A

• A

Unstable nuclei undergo decay.
They can do so in one of three ways:
-alpha decay: gives off a helium nucleus. It's heavy and easily stopped by paper
-beta decay: gives off an electron. It's stopped by thicker materials
-gamma decay: gives of highly damaging radiation- stopped only by thick sheets of lead metal

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Match

Match the decay with the type of radiation

• alpha

• beta

• gamma

helium nucleus

electron

high-energy radiation

• helium nucleus

• electron

• high-energy radiation

Poll

So far I am

• interested in nuclear chemistry

• worried about nuclear power

• really interested in how the bombs were made

• not interested in this at all