Lecture 5 Flashcards
Energy and mass are interchangeable - equation
E=mc^2
Chemical reaction
Breaking or forming bonds (mass changes are negligible)
Nuclear reaction
Enormous (mature mass changes)
Nuclear binding energy
Energy required to separate nucleus of atom into protons and neutrons or the energy holding it all together - the greater the binding energy the more stable
Mass defect
Mass of nucleus /= masses of individual nucleons in the nucleus
Change in mass
The mass required to hold nuclear particles together
Fission
Production of lighter nuclei by the decomposition of a heavier nucleus. Often but not always produced when a heavier nucleus captures a neutron
Fusion
Production of heavier nucleus by combining lighter nucleus
-needs extreme temperatures
-expels enormous amounts of energy
Nuclear fission vs radioactive decay
Nuclear fission- nucleus splits and releases N
Radioactive decay- unstable nucleus emits radiation
Propagation
a process in which a reactive intermediate is continuously regenerated during the course of a chemical chain reaction