Chapter 21 - Nuclear Chemistry Flashcards
(36 cards)
Atomic number
Number of protons
Nucleons
Protons, neutrons, electrons
Nucleus is composed of the first two
Mass of atom
Number of protons and neutrons
Isotopes happen because
Varying neutrons
Radioactive
Unstable
Not uncommon for nuclides aka radionuclides
Alpha decay
Loss of an alpha particle (a helium nucleus)
Beta decay
Loss of the beta particle (a high energy electron)
Positron emission
Nuclei decay by emitting a positron a particle hay has the same mass as but and opposites charge to that of an electron
0
e
1
Gamma emission
The loss of a gamma ray which is high energy radiation that almost always accompanies the loss of a nuclear particle
0
0
Electron capture
Addition of an electron to a proton in the nucleus
Result is a neutron
Neutron-proton ratios
Any element with more than one proton will have repulsions between the protons in the nucleus
What helps keep the nucleus from flying apart?
A strong nuclear force
Neutrons key role
Stabilizing the nucleus
The ratio of neutrons to protons is an important factor
For smaller nuclei the neutron - proton ratio
Is close to 1:1 when z< 21
As nuclei get larger the number of neutrons needed to stabilize the nucleus
Increases
Belt of stability
Blue dark dots that show what nuclides would be stable
Above the belt of stability
Above the belt have too many neutrons (tend to be emitting beta particles)
Below the belt of stability
Nuclei have too many protons
Can become more stable by positron emission or electron capture
There are no stable nuclei with an atomic number greater than
83
These nuclei tend to decay by alpha emission
Large radioactive nuclei and stabilization
Cannot stabilize from one nuclear transformation
Undergo a series of decays often forming a nuclide of lead
Trends of number of protons and neutrons dealing with stability
Even is more stable than odds
How can one tap all the energy of a nucleus
Nuclear fission
Starts with the bombardment with a neutron which causes the decay and production of more neutrons (nuclear chain reaction)
Critical mass
Rate of neutron loss = rate of neutron creation by fission
Manhattan project
Development of the a bomb in WWII
Lead by Oppenheimer and groves
Used uranium 235