Chadrica D.

Rafanan BS CHE 5 Ra
ChE Elective II Bi (Fission Reaction)
Po

NUCLEAR ENGINEERING *decays to produce another two elements

Breakdown (Fission) 4. Ernest Rutherford (1871-1937)

Atomic nuclei  discovery of the radioactive particles
Combination (Fusion)
α particle
Bi
 Any element which consists of both atomic number and atomic mass
β particle
are all stabe.
 However, isotopes of these elements are radioactive
 All elements from Pb-82 (upward) are radioactive/
Isotopes from Pb-82 (upward) are unstable
 K-40 in bananas is radioactive which is the isotope of K-39 O816 p=8
 Uranium-235 is an isotope of Uranium that is fissile, i.e., it can n=8 e-
sustain a fission chain reaction. e- = 8 nn
po
 Not all radioactive materials are harmful
 Foods containing radioactive mat’ls are also essential in the
body to kill the bad cells:
 Consider a gold atom whose atomic weight is 197g/mol and a radius
approximately 8x10-13 cm. Calculate its density.
Brazil nuts Rn
Given: Au (A.W. = 197g/mol)
Banana K-40 r = 8x10-13 cm
Lima beans K-40 , Rn-226 D=ρ=?
Carrots Rn-226
Density = Mass/Volume
Potatoes K-40 , Rn-226
Red meat K-40 8 x 10
3 −36 3
Beer K-40 (¿¿−13) =2 x 10 cm
Peanuts Ra-228 , K-40 4 4
V = π r 3= π ¿
3 3
 Carbon-14
- An isotope of C-12 which is present in the body Avogadro’s No. = 6.02x1023 atom/mole
- Natural radioactive
- Carbon-dating g 1 mole −22 g
197 x =3.27 x 10
HISTORY OF RADIOACTIVITY/DISCOVERY OF RADIOACTIVITY mol 6.02 x 10 atom
23
atom

1. Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen (1845-1923) g

 discovered the X-ray in 1895 3.27 x 10−22
atom 14 g
2. Antoine Henri Becquerel (1852-1908) D= 3
=1.557 x 10 per atom
cm3
−36
 discovered the first radioactivity 2 x 10 cm
3. Pierre Curie (1859-1906) & Marie Curie (1867-1934)

1
NUCLEAR REACTION

A + B + particles  C + D + particles

Particles in Nuclear Reaction

Name Symbol Charge Mass (amu)

4 4
Alpha (Helium) 2 α∨ 2 He +2 4.001506

Electron (Beta) β∨−10❑0 β−¿ -1 0.000549

¿
0
photon (gamma) 0γ -- - (high energy)
1
neutron 0 n 0 1.008665
2 TYPES OF NUCLEAR EQUATIONS
1
proton p +1 1.007276 1) Nuclear decay  spontaneous decay
1
2) Nuclear transmutation  induced
positron β∨+10❑0 β+¿ +1 0.000599
¿
6 FUNDAMENTAL NUCLEAR DECAYS
Example:
1. Alpha decay
226 222 4 4 A ' 4
88 Ra → 86 Rn+ α
2  Transmutation 2 α⋮ Z X → X + 2α
 Experiment of Rutherford Ex.)
 First natural transmutation

14
7 N + 42 α → 178O + 11 p  First artificial transmutation,
2. Beta decay
also by Rutherford 0 A
−1 β⋮ Z X → X ' +−10 β
PENETRATING POWER OF PARTICLES Ex.)

3. Positron Emission
0 A ' 0
+1 β⋮ Z X → X + +1 β
Ex.)

4. Electron Capture
A 0 '
X-ray ⋮ Z X + −1 e → X + x ray
(or (or Ex.)
Paper Plasti
) c)

5. Gamma Emission

2
 0 A ¿ ' 0
0 γ⋮ Z X → X +0 γ
4.)
Ex.)

5.)

6. Spontaneous Fission
1 A 1 ' ''
0 n⋮ Z X + 0n → X + X Example: Fe observed = 55.93492 amu (at. mass)
Ex.)
55.93492
26 Fe p = 26
n = 55.93492 – 26 = 29.93492
e = 26
Experimental:
Write the balanced nuclear reactions for each reaction. p = 26 x 1.007276 = 26.189176
n = at. mass – at. no.
1. Beta decay of
35
S e = 26 x 0.000549 = 0.014274
16

Mass of nucleus = p + n
= 26.189176 + 29.93492
201 = 56.124096 amu
2. Decay of 80 Hg by e- capture
Binding Energy – energy in the nucleus to bind the p + n
= Amuexp - Amuobs
= 56.120496 – 55.93492
3. Decay of
30
P by positron emission = 0.185576 amu
15

g 1kg 1
Mass (m) = 0.185576 × ×
gmole 1000 g 6.02 x 10 atom/gmole
23
185
4. Emission of α particle followed by γ emission for W
74
m = 3.0811x10-28 kg/atom

E = mc2 = (3.0811x10-28 kg/atom) (3.08x108 m/s)2

kg . m2
= 2.922x10-11
Assignment:
Write the balanced nuclear reactions.
atom . s2

1.) J 1 MeV
E = 2.922x10-11 × = 182.397 MeV/atom
atom 1.602 x 10−13
2.)
Assignment:
4
Determine binding energy of 2 He at. mass obs = 4.002603 amu
3.) in MeV/atom.

3
RADIOACTIVE DECAY SERIES 2. Thorium Series (Th-232) (4n)

1. Actinium Series or Plutonium Cascade (4n+3)  atomic mass is 232

Th  α, β, β, α, α, α, β, α, β, α  208
Pb
❑
divisible by 4, remainder of 3

239
❑ Pu  α, α, β, α, β, α, α, α, β, β, β, α  Pb (Terminal)
(atomic mass does not always follow the standard - 207)

239
 94 Pu → 42α + 235
92U
4.71 Gy
(gigayears)

4
3. Uranium Series (4n+2) 237
Np  α, β, α, α, β, α, α, α, β, α  209
Pb
❑
238
❑U  α, β, β, α, α, α, α, β, β, α, α, β, β, α  206
Pb

238 4 234
 ❑U → 2α + ❑ Th
4.5 Gy
(Uranium requires 4.5 Gy to produce Th)

 Isotopes are produced in the decomposition of the 4 radioactive

decay series
 Radioactive isotopes decay in minutes

4. Neptunium Series (4n+1)

5
HALF-LIFE
- the time it takes for a given amount of a substance to become
reduced by half as a consequence of decay, and therefore, the
emission of radiation.
- 1ST ORDER (Linear)

n
1
A= Ao ()
2
where: A = final mass after half-

life
AO = initial mass
n = number of half-lives

 Uranium is a fissionable isotope

Ex.) Bi has a half-life of 5.0 days. How much of 1.0g sample remains after
20 days?

1 half life
n= x 20 days=4 half lives
5 days

1 n
A= 1. og
( )
2 ()
=0.0625 g

Assignment:

A radioactive isotope has a half-life of 1.0 hr. How long would it

take for 75% of the mass of the isotope to decay?