Nuclear Chemistry Flashcards
"Nuclear chemistry deals with nuclear reactions, or reactions that happen inside atoms." (ACS, 2024)
Determine which particles are being described by each of the following
statements:
A. Has the greatest penetrative capability
B. Sometimes called as the positive electron
C. Contact with it can cause the greatest biological destruction
D. Cannot be affected by a magnetic field
Gamma Rays, Positron, Alpha Particles, Gamma Particles
For a criminal case, two men are interrogated in regards to an attempted poisoning of a police officer. During the investigation, it was found that both men had traces of Polonium-210 on their hands while a third accomplice of theirs had Po-210 on his clothes. Through analysis of the police officers stomach content, it was confirmed that he had ingested Po-210. Which among them is/are bound to die if not properly treated?
The police officer only
Po-210 undergoes alpha decay (Alpha particles have the lowest penetration but the highest biological destruction, thus deadly when ingested only)
Which among the following scientists discovered radioactivity?
Henri Becquerel
Fill in the blank: Protium is a/an _____ of Hydrogen while Protium, Deuterium, and Tritium comprise the Hydrogen _____.
Nuclide, Isotopes
What nuclide is obtained in each process?
I. Ra-226 undergoes three successive alpha emissions
II. Pb-196 goes through two successive electron capture
III. As-69 undergoes positron emission
Pb-214, Hg-196, Ge-6
Which among the following radioactive decay series does not occur naturally?
Neptunium Series
NepPlut (only artificial series)
To which decay series does Rn-219 and Ac-225 belong to respectively?
Actinium Series and Plutonium Series
Which among the following statements regarding Sb-122 and Xe-136 is TRUE?
Xe-136 is more stable than Sb-122 because of the amount of its neutrons
Determine whether each of the following statements is True or False
A. Calcium-42 is more abundant in natural sources in comparison to Calcium-40
B. Phosphorus-29 undergoes beta particle emission in order to become more stable
C. Potassium-46, a radioactive nuclide, undergoes positron emission in order to reach a new level of stability
False, False, False
Which among the following can detect the neutrons produced by U-235 undergoing nuclear fission?
A Geiger Counter containing Argon and Boron Trifluoride
Which among the following is the phosphor of a scintillation counter intended for the detection of gamma radiation?
NaI Crystals containing Thallium (II) Iodide
Define atomic mass unit.
One-twelfth the mass of a Carbon-12 atom
The binding energy is defined as: Eb = k*Δm. What is the constant k in MeV/amu?
k = 931.5 MeV/amu
Atomic mass of a single proton?
1.0073 amu
Atomic mass of a single neutron?
1.0087 amu
Based on the units commonly used in Nuclear Chemistry, which among the following measures the amount of energy acquired by an electron when it falls through an electric potential difference of 1 volt?
eV
Which among the following can cause the greatest damage to a material assuming that all of them can penetrate it equally?
100 rad Alpha Emission
Which among the following statements regarding Nuclear Fusion and Nuclear Fission is False?
Nuclear fusion releases more energy than Nuclear fission on a per nucleon basis
In which among the following can a Cherenkov Radiation be observed?
In the water surrounding the core of a Nuclear Reactor
The Bataan Nuclear Power Plant is planned to be retrofitted in hopes of using it for the first time. One point of concern is the material that would be used in the outer portions of the room housing the fuel rods. If the radiation coming from the fuel rods would be a strong beta emission, which material among the following should be utilized?
8 mm of Lucite
Across the three most notorious accidents regarding nuclear power plants: Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima, what is the most common cause for their failure that led to several environmental problems?
Loss of proper cooling and/or moderator
Which among the following statements regarding Nuclear Fission is FALSE?
Nuclear Fission is the main proponent of nuclear power plants, atomic bombs, and hydrogen bombs
Which among the following radioactive nuclides is often attributed as the greatest source of radiation that affects most of the population?
Radon-222
Radiocative tracer
Strontium-90
Smoke detectors
Americium-241
Daughter of Ra-222
Polonium-218
A nuclear chemist from the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute is dissolving a sample of NaCl, that contains the radioactive sodium-24, in 100 mL aliquot of aqueous sodium nitrate. The mixture was subsequently cooled in order to recrystallize the sodium nitrate salt. Which among the following is true?
Some of the anions will randomly bond with the sodium-24 nuclide
What other particle is formed in the fusion of two protons to yield deuterium?
neutron
What isotope is produced when Polonium-216 decays by emitting an alpha particle followed by two beta particles?
Polonium-212
Process of breaking down a large isotope into smaller isotopes.
nuclear fission
When a throrium-230 atom undergoes alpha decay, the products of the reaction are usually:
Radium and an alpha particle
Balance the following equation: 225Ac82 = ? + 4He2; when one alpha particle is lost from actinium.
225Ac89 = 221Fr87 + 4He2
Actinium is always 89, not 82.
If radon-222 disintegrates to a stable condition by emitting three alpha emissipns and two beta emission. determine the stable nucleus formed.
210Pb82
Which of the following are true?
a) Nuclear fusion produces radioactive product
b) Nuclear fusion requires very high temperature to an order of 10^6 °C
c) Nuclear fusion involves chain reaction
d) Nuclear fusion release more energy than fission
b and d only
Tell whether the following is true or false
a) Alpha decay emits 2 protons and 2 neutrons
b) Beta is more penetrating than alpha
c) Negative beta decay loses a neutron
d) Positive beta decay loses a proton
T, T, T, T
You are working in a site with strong beta particles. What material would you recommend for protection?
Aluminum
How does alpha, beta, and gamma particle affect the mass number of an atom?
4, 0, 0
Half-life of barium-222
2 minutes