CHEMISTRY

Radioactivity

Spontaneous disintegration of nuclei due to emission of radiations like , , is called radioactivity.

Radioactivity is a nuclei phenomenon.
Radioactivity is not depend on external conditions like temperature, pressure etc.
Radioactivity of a substance is independent to its physical state.
x(s), x(l), x(g), (x)+(g), (x)(g) in all form, x is radioactive.
14
CO2, 146C(s), 146C(g) is radioactive.
All radioactive disintegration follow Ist order kinetics.
A B + C
Int. nuclie
N0
At time t.
N

Activity : Rate of decay or disintegration of radioactive element.

Specific activity : Activity of unit mass (or 1 g) of radioactive element / sample.

A .N
Unit of activity :
*
curie (Ci) = 3.7 1010 dps
millicurie (mCi) = 3.7 107 dps
microcurie (Ci) = 3.7 104 dps
*
Rutherford (1 Rd) = 1 106dps
S.I. unit of activity = Becquerel (Bq)
*
1 Bq = 1 disintegration per second (dps)
N=

W
NA
M

W = weight of substance
M = Molar mass
NA = 6.022 1023
A .

w
NA
M

= Not dependent on temperature.

dN
= N
dt

dN
=
N

dt

N N0et

1 N0
ln

t
N

A 0 N0 n0 w 0

A
N
n
w

n0 = initial moles
w0 = initial weight

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w0
1
ln w (w = weight of A remaining after time t)
t

w0

w x
0

1
ln
t

Half life :
t = t1/2

N=

N0
2

N0

= t
ln N / 2
1/ 2
0
ln 2

= t
1/ 2

ln 2 0.693

t1/ 2

Average life :
Tavg.

1
1.44 t1/ 2

dN. t

Tavg. =

1.

N0

dN
= N and N = N0et , dN = N0et dt)
dt

Application of radioactivity :
Carbon dating : (used for wooden object)
In living matter existing in nature :
C14
:
6
(radio active)
In upper atmosphere :
7

N14 + 0n1

C12
=
(stable)
6

1 : 1012

C14 + 1p1

Ratio of radioactive carbon in dead animals / trees decreases with respect to time.
t=

A0
1
ln A

Half life of 6C14 = 5770 yrs.

A = activity of old wood piece.
A0 = activity of fresh wood piece.
Age of wooden piece should be nearly t1/2 or (2 to 3 times of t1/2).
2.

Age of rocks or minerals

U238
x
Pb206
92
82
(radioactive)
(stable)
Assumption :
Rock did not contain any lead or all lead is formed due to disintegration of uranium.
92

U238

82

XA

z2

YA

z+1

Pb206 + x2He4 + y1e0

XA 4 + 2He4
YA +

Number of -particles =

e0

difference of mass no.

238 206
=
=8
4
4

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238 = 206 + 4x + 0
92 = 82 + 2x y
On solving (1) and (2),
x=8
y=6
92

At time t

U238

wg

.....(1)
.....(2)

82

Pb206 + 8(2He4) + 6(1e0)

yg

t=

w0
1
ln w

t=

w0
1
ln w x

w = w0 x

w0 = w + x
1 mole or 238 g U provide 206 g of Pb

238
g U provide 1 g Pb
206

238
y g U provide y g Pb
206

x=

238
y
206

w0 = w +
92

238
y
206

U238

82

Pb206 + 82He4 + 61e

V(in mL) collected

nHe =

PV
RT

........ (1)

t=

n0
1
ln n

n=

w
238

n0 = n +

........ (2)
nHe
8

Radiations :
: 2He4
( 42He2+) (nucleus of He-atom)
or : 1e0 (fast moving electron emitted from nucleus)
: 00 (electromagnetic radiation (waves) of high frequency)
speed :
>>
penetrating power :
>>
ionisation power :
>>

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1.

Emission of rays

Usual condition

Effect

Process representation / example

Z > 83

n
ratio increases
p

XA Z 2XA 4 + 2He4

92

2.

n
ratio decreases
p

If p ratio is high.
n

eg.

C12 (stable) p =
6

C14 (radioactive) p =
(high)
6

Na24 (radioactive) p =
(high)
11

11

Na23 (stable) p =
11

11

Na22 p =
( ratio low)
11 p

3.

11

n 8
p =6

13

11

C14 7N14 + 1e0

eg.

YA Z+ 1YA 4 + 1e0

U238 90Th234 + 2He4

n 7
p =7

n1 1p1 + 1e0 (from nucleus)

12

If nucleus energy
level is high

nucleus energy
level decreases

43

Tc99 43Tc99 +

high

low

nucleus

nucleus

energy

energy

(metastable)

4.

(a) Positron emission

If p ratio is low

n
ratio increases
p

Na22 10Ne22 + +1e0

p1 0n1 + +1e0 (from nucleus)
1

(+1e0)

11

(b) Electron capture

If p ratio is low

n
ratio increases
p

XA + 1e0 Z 1XA

K shell

197

(EC) or K-shell
electron capture
1
1p

YA Z 1YA + +1e0

80

Hg

+ 1e0 79Au197

1e 0 0 x1
(K shell )

Nuclear stability belt :

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-emission

*
*
*
*

n1 1p1 + 1e0

Z upto 20
:
nuclei stable with n/p ratio nearly 1 : 1
Z > 20
:
n/p ratio increases will Z in stable nuclie region.
More number of neutrons are required to reduce repulsion between protons.
Bi209 : Stable with largest n/p ratio
83

n
1.52
=
p
1
Even - odd rule : (Out of syllabus)
no. of n
no. of p
no. of stablenuclic
even
even
155 (max)
even
odd
55
odd
even
50
odd
odd
5 (min)
* Expected pairing of nucleus
Magic Numbers :
Nuclei in which nucleons have magic no. (2, 8, 20, 28, 50 ....) are more stable.
e.g.
He4 , 8O16
2
*
Expected closing of nucleus energy shell.
Group displacement law : (Given by Soddy and Fajan)
*

When 1 emission takes place from a nuclie, new formed nuclie occupy two position left in periodic table.

When 1 emission takes place from a nuclie, new formed nuclie occupy one position right in periodic table.
Due to emission of 1 particle; isobars are formed.
Due to emission of 1 particle; isodiaphers are formed.
Due to emission of 1 and 2 ; isotopes are formed.
Isotopes :
Isobars :
Isotones :

same number of proton

same mass number
same number of neutron

eg. 6C14 and 6C12

eg. 6C14 and 7N14
eg. 2He4 and 1H3

Isodiaphers : Same (n p) difference

e.g. 9F19 and 19K39 ; (n p) = 10

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Isosters : Same number of atoms and electrons
e.g. N2 and CO
N2O and CO2
Artifical nuclear reaction :

eg.

specific nuclei + stricking particle New nuclei + emitted particle

1.

(, p type)

N14

He4

O17

(s.p.)
2.

(n, type)

11

3.

(D,p type)

13

4.

(p, type)

H2

H1

Al27

Li7

(or 1H1)

(e.p.)

n0

N23

p1

Na24

Al28

11

13

He4

H1
He4

Nuclear fission and nuclear fusion :

In both processes, large amount of heat evolved due to conversion of some mass into energy.
Nuclear fission : Is a process where heavy nuclei splits into large nuclei.

92

U235 + 0n1

92

U*236

eg. atom bomb is based on fission.

Nuclear fusion :
Is a process where light nuclei fused together to form heavy nuclei.
1

H2 + 1H3

H2 + 1H2

He4 + 0n1

He4

Hydrogen bomb is based on fusion. Very high temperature is required in this process.
For objective questions :
Total time (T) = no. of halves (n) Half life (t1/2)
T n t1/ 2

No. of half life

1
2
3

Int. wt.
w
w/2
w/4

Final weight
w/2
w/4 = w/22
w/8 = w/23

Amount of substance left in n halves (wt / mole) = Initialamount(wt/ mole)

2n

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Radioactive Disintegration Series :
A series of continued disintegrations starting from an unstable nucleus (radioactive elements) and ending at
a stable nucleus, is known as radioactive disintegration series.
Mainly radioactive disintegration series are four type (1) Thorium series (4n series) :
23 2
Th (Starting element)
90

6,4

20 8
Pb (last element)
82

(2) Neptunium series (4n + 1 series):

237
93Np (Starting element)

7,4

209
Bi (last element)
83

8,6

206
Pb (last element)
82

7,4

207
Pb
82

(3) Uranium Series (4n + 2 series) :

23 8
U
92 (Starting element)

(4) Actinium Series (4n + 3 series) :

235
U
9 2 (Starting element)

(last element)

* Thorium series (4n series), Uranium Series (4n + 2 series), Actinium Series (4n + 3 series) are naturally
series. But Neptunium series (4n + 1 series) is artificial series because Neptunium237 is perpared artificial
and the only member of this series found in nature is the stable end product Bi209.

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