19.3 Nuclear Reactions

Induced transmutation

• inducing nuclear reactions involves striking nuclei with high-velocity particles

• a process where atoms spontaneously decay into different elements

• the transformation of one element into another without nuclear reactions

• a method of altering chemical bonds in molecules

Transuranium elements

• Elements with atomic number 92 and lower

• Elements immediately following uranium in the periodic table- elements with atomic number 93 and greater

• Elements that are naturally occurring in the earth's crust

• Elements that are stable and non-radioactive

Critical mass

• a sample that is massive enough to sustain a chain reaction

• a small amount of material that cannot sustain a reaction

• a type of nuclear waste

• a measure of the energy released in fission

Breeder reactors

• reactors that are able to produce more fuel than they use

• reactors that consume more fuel than they produce

• reactors that operate on renewable energy sources

• reactors that are used for waste disposal

Nuclear Fusion

• the combining of atomic nuclei

• the splitting of atomic nuclei

• the process of radioactive decay

• the emission of energy from atoms

Nuclear fission

• The process of combining two atomic nuclei to form a heavier nucleus.

• The splitting of a nucleus into fragments, Very large release of energy

• A method of generating electricity using solar panels.

• The decay of a radioactive element into a stable form.

Mass defect

• The observed difference in mass between a nucleus and its component nucleons

• The total mass of all nucleons in a nucleus

• The mass of an atom in its ionized state

• The mass of a nucleus when it is at rest