Nuclear Chemistry

Describe radioactivity
through a balanced nuclear
equation and through an
analysis of the half life
concept.
⚫ Chemical Reactions vs Nuclear Reactions
⚫ Review of Isotopes
⚫ Definition of Radioactivity and emissions
⚫ Discussion of the three most important
types of emissions
⚫ What do we mean by half-life?
⚫ Where is Radioactivity encountered?
⚫ Is Radioactivity dangerous?
What is a Chemical Reaction?
⚫ Chemical reactions involve changing one substance
into another substance by rearranging atoms.
⚫ However, during a chemical reaction, atoms of one
element cannot change into atoms of another
element.
– The reason this change cannot occur is that
chemical reactions only involve an atom's
electrons – the nucleus remains unchanged.
⚫ Recall that an atom's identity is based on its
number of protons.
⚫ Since protons are in the nucleus and chemical
reactions do not involve the nucleus, the atom
remains unchanged.
What is a Nuclear Reaction?
⚫ There are some reactions that do involve
changes in the nucleus.
⚫ These are called nuclear reactions.

⚫ In nuclear reactions, one atom of an

element changes into an atom of a
different element.
 Isotopes
⚫ Fillin the table below as a review.
⚫ You will need your periodic table for this!
⚫ Remember the atomic number (or # of
protons) determines the element.
–Example: If an atom has four protons
and seven neutrons, it is beryllium.
The same is true of an atom
containing four protons and six
neutrons...the atom is still beryllium.
Early Pioneers in Radioactivity
Roentgen:
Roentgen: Becquerel:
Discoveredofof
Discoverer Discovered
Discoverer of
X-rays1895
X-rays 1895 Radioactivity
1896

Rutherford: The Curies:

Discovered Discovered
Alpha and Beta Radium and
rays 1897 Polonium 1900-
1908
What do we mean by Radioactivity?
⚫ Radioactivity comes out of the nucleus of
atoms.
⚫ Radioactivity is when a substance
spontaneously emits radiation.
– loses energy by emitting radiation in the
form of particles or electromagnetic
waves.
⚫ There are several types of radiation emitted
during radioactive decay.
 Radioactive Decay
⚫ Radioactive atoms (or radioisotopes) emit
radiation because their nuclei are unstable.
– Unstable nuclei lose energy by emitting
radiation in a spontaneous process called
radioactive decay.
– Unstable radioactive atoms undergo
radioactive decay until they form stable
non-radioactive atoms.
⚫ An unstable nucleus releases energy to
become more stable.
 Unstable Nuclei
⚫ any atom with more than 83 protons.
– too much mass in the nucleus
– causes isotope to release an alpha particle
⚫ too many neutrons in a nucleus
– causes isotope to emit a beta particle
⚫ too many protons in a nucleus
– causes isotope to emit a positron
⚫ too much energy in the nucleus
– causes isotope release gamma rays
 Types of Radiation:
Alpha, Beta, and Gamma
⚫ We are going to discuss three types of
radiation.
–The types are called alpha, beta, and
gamma.
 Alpha Decay - α
⚫ Alpha particles are small particles of matter with a
charge of +2 and a mass of 4 amu.
⚫ Alpha particle contains two protons and two
neutrons – it is identical to the nucleus of a
helium atom.
– When an alpha particle slows down and gains two
electrons it becomes a helium atom.
4
⚫ In a nuclear equation, He is used to represent
2
alpha decay.
⚫ Alpha Decay of U-238: 92 U → 90Th + 2 He
238 234 4

– the mass drops by 4 amu and the atomic number by 2.

 Examples - Alpha Decay
1. Uranium-235 emits an alpha
235
92 U → He + Th
4
2
231
90

2. Ra-223 emits an alpha

223
88 Ra → He + Rn
4
2
219
86

3. Rn-219 emits an alpha

219
86 Rn → He + Po
4
2
215
84
 Beta Decay
⚫ Beta particles were also found to be particles.
⚫ Beta particles are simply high speed electrons.
– When a beta slows down it becomes an electron.
⚫ In a nuclear equation, −10 e is used to represent beta
decay.
⚫ Beta Decay of Th-234: 234Th → 234 Pa + 0 e
90 91 −1

– the mass remains constant and the atomic number

rises by 1.
– when a Th-234 undergoes beta decay it becomes Pa-
234.
 Examples - Beta Decay
1. actinium-227 emits a beta
227
89 Ac → e+
0
−1
227
90 Th

2. The decay of Fe-53 by beta emission.

53
26 Fe→ e+ Co
0
−1
53
27
 Gamma Decay
⚫ Gamma rays are not particles.
⚫ Gamma rays are high energy electromagnetic
radiation.
⚫ They are photons (light) with no charge or mass so
we simply write in our equations.
⚫ We write them as
0
0  in our equations.

60
27 Co→ Co + 
60
27
Balancing Nuclear Reactions
⚫ the sum of the masses on the left of the arrow
– Must equal the sum of the masses on the
right of the arrow
⚫ the sum of the protons on the left
– Must equal the sum of the protons on the
right
Summary of Radioactivity
Emissions Penetrability
Alpha particles stopped by
a sheet of paper.
Beta particles stop by
aluminum shielding
Gamma rays can only be
reduced by much more
substantial obstacles, such
as a very thick piece of lead.
 Sources of Radioactivity
⚫ Primordial - from before the creation of the Earth
⚫ Cosmogenic - formed as a result of cosmic ray
interactions
⚫ Human produced - enhanced or formed due to
human actions (minor amounts compared to
natural)