Chapter 25 - Nuclear Chemistry Flashcards
Define nuclear radiation.
The rays and particles emitted from a radioactive source.
Define radioactivity.
The spontaneous emission of rays of particles from certain elements, such as uranium.
Nuclear reactions begin with unstable isotopes, or _____________.
Radioisotopes.
Briefly state the 3 types of nuclear radiation.
Alpha, beta, and gamma.
What’s an alpha particle?
It’s contains two protons and two neutrons and has a double + charge.
What happens in an alpha radiation?
A radioisotope emits alpha radiation and is transformed into another radioisotope. Ex: X -> He + Z
What’s a beta particle?
An electron resulting from the breaking apart of a neutron in an atom.
What happens in beta radiation?
The neutron breaks apart into a proton and an electron. The electron’s superscript is 0 (which denotes it’s mass) and the subscript is -1 (which is the charge).
What’s a gamma ray?
A high energy photon emitted by a radioisotope.
What’s the mass and charge of a gamma ray?
It has no mass and no electrical charge.
What part of an atom undergoes change during radioactive decay?
Nuclei.
What 2 items much be equal for a nuclear equation to be balanced?
The sum of the mass numbers (superscript) and the the atomic numbers (subscripts) on both sides of the equation.
How does alpha decay affect the mass number? How does beta decay affect the mass number?
In alpha, the mass number is higher by 4. In beta, the mass number is unaffected.
What’s a half-life?
It’s the time required for one-half of the nuclei in a radioisotope sample to decay to products.
What’s the difference between fission and fusion?
▪️Fission: when the nuclei of certain isotopes are bombarded with neutrons, the nuclei split into smaller fragments.
▪️Fusion: occurs when nuclei combine to produce a nucleus of greater mass.
