_____________________________________________________________________CHEM 100 LECTURE

UNIT 13 NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY

elements with atomic number greater than 83 are radioactive

Balancing Nuclear Equations

Types of particle emissions:
4
2

alpha atomic mass decreases by 4; atomic number decreases by 2

212
84 Po

0
1

4
2

208
82 Pb

beta atomic number increases by 1, no change in mass number

137
55 Cs

0
1

0
1

137
56 Pb

positron atomic number decreases by 1, no change in mass number

78
33 Cs

0
1

78
32 Ge

Nuclear Stability - neutron to proton ratio (n/p);

stable: close to 1

- if the ratio is high, more neutrons are needed to counteract strong repulsions
to lower the ratio: particle emission
to increase the ratio: positron emission
Nuclear Binding Energy

energy required to break up a nucleus into its component protons and neutrons

Detecting Radiation
1.
2.
3.
4.

photographic detection
detection by fluorescence
cloud chambers
gas ionization counters

Natural Radioactivity

obey first order kinetics

half-life time it takes for the concentration to be reduced to half the initial value
Radioactive Dating
1. carbon dating based on 14C to 12C ratio
2. U-238 - based on 206Pb to 238U ratio

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_____________________________________________________________________CHEM 100 LECTURE

Medicinal Uses
1. cobalt radiation for treatment of cancer
2. radioactive tracers
3. positron emission tomography
Other Uses
1. agricultural
2. industrial
3. research
Nuclear Fission

heavy nucleus divides to form smaller nuclei and free neutrons

accompanied by release of large amounts of energy

1. atomic bomb
2. nuclear reactors
a. light water reactors used U3O8
b. heavy water reactors
c. breeder reactors
3. hazards
a. nuclear fuel and wastes are radioactive
b. waste disposal
c. leakage/ explosion : meltdown/accident risk
d. thermal pollution
e. potential for theft
Nuclear Fusion

combining small nuclei into larger ones

1. sun
2. fusion reactor
3. H-bomb

advantage:

- fuel is cheap and inexhaustible; little radioactive waste

problem:

- how to hold the nuclei long enough at proper temp for fusion to occur;
- how to contain 100M C

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