The

Nucleus
 The Nucleus
• Nuclear stability and radioactive decay
• Kinetics of radioactive decay
• Nuclear transformations
• Detection and uses of radioactivity
• Nuclear fission and fusion
• Effects of radiation
 Nuclear chemistry is the
study of the nucleus

Electron cloud

Nucleus
Electrons are
very small and The nucleus
have a negative contains protons(+)
charge. They and neutrons (0).
are light and They are very heavy
far apart and close together.
 How do nuclei stick
together?

All nucleons (p, n)

Protons are all have a new force, the
positive and repel strong nuclear force
each other. This is the that holds them
electronic force. together anyway.
 Nuclear Notation
To keep track of what nucleons an atom has
chemists write their symbols with two
numbers
atomic mass = protons + neutrons
12
atomic number = protons 6 C
In any reaction (nuclear or chemical) these
numbers must also balance.
 Nuclear notation: Generic
Symbols
Required, distinguishes one
A
X
Isotope from another
Element symbol
Optional, redundant info
With the element symbol Z
A nuclide can also be written: element-A
carbon – 14, is 14 C
uranium – 238 is 238 U
 Find your Beaker! And
respond to the following.
Write the following atoms in nuclear notation
Pro/Neu Symbol Atom
4/3 7 Be Be
4
12/14 26Mg Mg
12
20/22 42 Ca Ca
20
20/24 44 Ca Ca
20
43/50 93 Tc Tc
43
 Types of Radioactive
Decay
To balance nuclear reactions we need to include particles with
special names
α particle = helium nucleus  He42
β particle = electron  e- 0
-1
positron  e+ 0
+1
Neutron  n 1
Proton = hydrogen 0nucleus  H1
Gamma Ray  γ +1
0
0
 Nuclear Stability
• Approx 1,500 different nuclei are known;
about 264 are stable
• Elements with N/P ratio = 1:1 are stable
• Above atomic number 20, stable nuclei
have a higher N/P ratio up to about 1.53:1
• Stable nuclei fall within a region called
"band of stability"; if they fall outside area,
they undergo spontaneous radioactive
decay
Band of Alpha Decay

Stability
• All nuclei with 84
or more protons
are unstable
• Heavy nuclei with
too many neutrons Positron emission and/or

or too many electron capture

protons are
unstable
 Nuclear Stability
Nuclei below the zone of stability are likely to
undergo:
Positron production, β+ (too many protons and
not enough neutrons so a proton is converted to
a neutron and a positron is emitted)
Electron capture, β- (too many protons and not
enough neutrons so a proton is changed into a
neutron and an electron is captured in the
process.)
 Nuclear Stability
– Alpha particle production (an alpha
particle is released dropping the atomic
number by 2 and the atomic mass by 4)
Nuclei above the zone of stability are likely
to undergo:
– Beta particle production, β- (too many
neutrons and not enough protons so an
electron is released as a neutron is
converted to a proton)
Alpha Particle Production
 Nuclear Stability
– Gamma rays or γ rays are produced
usually during a decay process that
has emitted an alpha or beta particle.
The gamma ray is a high energy
photon. They almost always
accompany electron capture
processes to release excess energy.
Decay of Uranium - 238
Writing Nuclear Equations

Write the nuclear

equation representing the
decay of Potassium – 40
as it emits a positron.
Writing Nuclear Equations
Answer
 Find your Radioactiveman
and try these HOT
Problems!!
• 11 C produces a positron
• 214 Bi produces a β- particle
• 237 Np produces an α particle
• Potassium - 40 captures an electron
• Potassium - 40 emits a β -
particle
 More Practice!
Balance the following nuclear reactions:
Gallium –73 transmutes to germanium-
73
Platinum -192 transmutes to osmium-188
Bombarding alpha particles to an
unknown element produces berkelium-
243 and a neutron
Fusion of uranium-238 and carbon-12
produces 6 neutrons and what other
element?
Alpha Beta Gamma!
Geiger-Muller Counter
Relative Energies
α particles are heavy,
slow, and low energy.
They can’t penetrate
paper.
β particles are small,
fast, and medium
energy. They can’t
penetrate foil
γ rays are photons,
have no mass, are fast,
and high energy.
Some may be stopped
by lead.
Nuclear Fission
Nuclear Power Plant
Nuclear Fusion
Stellar Formation of Carbon -
12
 Effects of a nuclear bomb
1) Explosive Blast
- a lot of pressure makes houses fall down
2) Direct Radiation
- radioactive nuclei ejected from the bomb
3) Thermal Radiation
- heat and light that will burn you
4) Radioactive Fallout
- dust and debris are made radioactive, enter the
atmosphere and spread long distances
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/bomb/sfeature/effects.html
Plasma Ball of Early Atomic
Bomb Test
Plasma Ball of Early Atomic Bomb
Test
 How long does
radioactivity stay around?
Every radioactive nucleus has a half life.
This is the amount of time before half of it is gone.
 Half Life
• The amount of time it takes for half of the nuclide to
decay.
Time N
0 100
1 50
2 25
3 12.5
4 6.25
5 3.125