LESSON 8 | Nuclear Chemistry Flashcards
number of protons in nucleus
ATOMIC NUMBER
number of protons + number of neutrons
MASS NUMBER
Proton
1
H
1
Neutron
1
n
0
Electron (BETA DECAY / ELECTRON CAPTURE DECAY)
0
e
-1
Positron (POSITRON DECAY)
0
e
+1
alpha particle (ALPHA DECAY)
4
He
2
The sum of protons + neutrons in the products must equal the sum of the protons + neutrons in the reactants.
CONSERVATION OF MASS NUMBER (A)
The sum of nuclear charges in the products must equal the sum of nuclear charges in the reactants.
CONSERVATION OF ATOMIC NUMBER (Z)
The stability of a nuclide depends on the ratio of n/p, on whether
the numbers of neutrons and protons are odd or even, and
whether either is a magic number arising from nuclear shell
theory.
Nuclear Stability
the principal factor that determines whether a nucleus is stable
or not
neutron-to-proton ratio (n/p)
MAGIC NUMBERS OF STABILITY
n or p =
2, 8, 20, 28, 50, 82, 1
Nuclei with even numbers of both protons and neutrons
are generally more stable than those with odd numbers of
neutrons and proton
TRUE
All isotopes of the elements with atomic numbers higher
than 83 are radioactiv
TRUE
All isotopes of Tc (technetium) and Pm (promethium) are
radioacti
TRUE
the REGION in the plot where stable nuclei are located
BELT OF STABILITY
the energy required to break up nucleus into its component protons and neutrons
NUCLEAR BINDING ENERGY
This quantity represents the conversion of mass to energy that occurs during an exothermic nuclear reaction.
NUCLEAR BINDING ENERGY
The difference between the mass of an atom and the sum of the masses of its protons, neutrons, and electrons.
MASS DEFECT
𐤃E = 𐤃m(c^2)
Einstein’s mass-energy equivalence relationship
BINDING ENERGY PER NUCLEON
BINDING ENERGY / NUMBER OF NUCLEONS
SPONTANEOUS FISSION DECAY
1
2 n
0
