Nuclear Chemistry Flashcards
Radiation
Energy (as waves or particles) radiating from a source; the further away you are, the less radiation particles emitted
Ionizing Radiation
Higher energy radiation that causes particles to ionize, which can be damaging
Which order of rays is the highest in energy?
UV, X rays, gamma rays
———————————->
Which order of particles or rays is the strongest?
alpha particles, β (beta) particles, gamma radiation
———————————————————–>
Radioactive
unstable nuclei; go towards being stable by emitting particles or waves
Radioactivity
describes the rate of these emissions
Radioactivity units and meaning
Becquerel (Bq) and Curie (Ci)
1 Bq = 1 disintegration/s
Absorbed dose units
Gray (gy) and Rad
I Gy = 100 rad = 1 J/kg
Effective does units
Sievert (Sv) and Rem
1 Sv = 100 Rem
Radioactivity unit meaning
Rate
Absorbed dose meaning
How much radiation is present at one’s position
Effective dose meaning
How much radiation penetrates and is absorbed in a biological sample
Symbol for proton
1H1 or 1p1
Symbol for neutron
1n0
Symbol for alpha particle/decay
4He2 or 4(half infinity)2
Symbol for beta decay
0β-1
Symbol for positron emission
0β+1
Symbol for electron capture
0β+1
Symbol for gamma emission
o(cursive y)0
What happens when two beta particles collide
They annihilate each other so no particles are left; this breaks the law of conservation of mass, but the law of conservation of energy (First Law of Thermodynamics) holds
Transmutation
When an element turns into another element by a nuclear process in order to stabilize the nuclei
Decay
When one element falls apart, emitting a nuclear particle in order to stabilize the nuclei
What happens when
1) n:p ratio is too high
2) p too high P# > 82
3) n:p ratio is too low
1) beta decay
2) alpha decay
3) positron emission/electron capture
Rules when solving a nuclear process
1.) The bottom and top numbers must be equal on each side
2) Nuclear processes can be added to balance them
Symbol for electron
0e-1
Beta particle definition
High energy particle emitted from the nucleus of an atom and may have a positive or negative charge
Electron definition
Subatomic particle that resides in the electron cloud around the nucleus and always has a negative charge
Positron definition
High energy particle emitted from the nucleus of an atom and has a positive charge
What does it mean if an atom is below or above the graph belt
Above: emits a beta particle
Below: positron emission or e- capture
How do moles affect a nuclear equation?
The may “lessen” the mass and proton numbers
When checking what an element with undergo check the n:p ratio by …
Subtracting the proton# from the mass# to find the neutron#
Fission
Breaking 1 nuclei into 2+ nuclei to stabilize
Fusion
2 nuclei combine to form 1 nuclei to stabilize
Nuclear Binding Energy
Energy difference between subatomic particles
How do you find what energy is released/absorbed?
sum of nuclear binding energy reactants - sum of nuclear binding energy products
How can you find nuclear binding energy and subsequent conversions?
- Get mass defect
- E = (mass defect x kg conversion) x (c squared, result in J/nuclei)
To get J/nucleon - divide by nucleon (molar mass)
To get kj/mol - divide by 1000 J and multiply by Avagadro’s number
How to get mass defect
sum of subatomic particles’ mass - mass of nuclei
Longer Avagadro’s number
6.0221418 x 10 to the 23
How do you solve t = kN problems
- Solve for k in half life
- Solve for N by converting g to mol with molar mass, and multiply by A# to find nuclei of element
- Can then multiply them together, resulting nuclei/s
convert further if needed
