Nuclear Chemistry Fusion and Fission Nuclear Fission • The splitting of a nucleus into smaller fragments is called nuclear fission.
• Heavy atoms (mass number>60) tend to
break into smaller atoms, thereby increasing their stability.
• Nuclear fission releases a large amount of
energy. Nuclear Fission Mass Defect = Energy! • Example- the energy released from the nuclear reaction of 1kg of uranium is equivalent to the energy released during the combustion of 4 billion kilograms of coal. • This large amount of energy is due to the mass defect • Every time fission occurs, there is a difference between the mass of the starting atoms and the smaller atom products. This difference in mass is converted into energy by Einstein’s equation : • E = mc2 Fission Chain Reactions • One fission reaction can lead to more fission reactions in a process called a chain reaction. • Example - The fission of Uranium-235 Chain Reaction of Uranium-235 Chain Reaction of Uranium-235 Chain Reaction of Uranium-235 • A chain reaction can only occur if the starting material has enough mass to sustain a chain reaction. This amount is called the critical mass. • Nuclear Fission is what occurs in Nuclear Reactors and Atomic Bombs. • The Nuclear reactor is a controlled fission reaction, the bomb is not. Nuclear Fusion • The combining of atomic nuclei to form a larger atom is called fusion • Nuclear fusion occurs in the sun where hydrogen atoms fuse to form helium 1 4 H + 2 -1 1 0 e- 4 2 He + energy Nuclear Fusion Fusion • Fusion reactions also release very large amount of energy but require extremely high temperatures to start. • Nuclear fusion also occurs in new stars and is how all of our elements were made. 4 2 He + 4 2 He 8 4 Be + energy 4 12 2 He + 8 4 Be 6 C + energy Other Fusion Reactions • Hydrogen Bomb or possible Fusion nuclear reactor reaction • 1 3H + 12H 4He 2 + 10n
• New elements discovered:
• 20Ca + 95Am 115Uup • 115Uup 113Uut 4 + 2He Balancing Nuclear Equations • Mass numbers and Atomic numbers must add up on both sides of the reaction arrow.
256 140 112 1
• 100Fm 54Xe + ____ + 4 0n Pd 46
For Atomic numbers 100 = 54 + X
X = 46
For Mass Numbers: 256 = 140 + X + 4
X = 112 Chemical Nuclear Reactions Reactions • Involve changes in • Involve changes in the electrons nucleus – Acids & Bases, – Nuclear fusion, nuclear combustion, displacement fission • The same atoms appear • New atoms appear as on both sides of the products of the reaction. reaction. • Follows Dalton’s Law of • Breaks Dalton’s Law of Conservation of Mass Conservation of Mass • Small amount of energy • Large amount of energy generated generated – Burning fossil fuels – 1 million times more than chemical reactions – Nuclear fusion on the sun – Nuclear fission for reactors Decay vs. Nuclear Reactions • Alpha, beta, and gamma • Nuclear reactions involve decay occur as ONE more than just getting rid of atom tries to increase a few protons or neutrons. it’s stability by getting rid The new atoms produced of a few neutrons, or are VERY different protons & neutrons. elements than the reactant. • The product is an alpha, • Nuclear reactions must be beta, or gamma particle started, so there are 2 and ONE new atom. things on the left hand side. There is only ONE thing – Nuclear fission: makes 2 on the left hand side. or more much smaller atoms – Nuclear fusion: makes 1 much larger atom Nuclear Fission