Exercise 2: Nuclear Reactions, Binding Energy and Rate of Decay

Exercise 2
NUCLEAR REACTIONS, BINDING ENERGY AND RATE OF DECAY

OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of the experiment, the student should be able to:

1. Identify the missing species to balance nuclear reactions;
2. Determine the binding energy of a nuclear species;
3. Determine the amount of energy released in a nuclear fission;
4. Calculate the amount of species left after a specified time of nuclear reaction; and
5. Determine the half-life of a nuclear species.

Direction: Answer the following questions. Show complete solution, whenever applicable.
A. Nuclear Reactions
Balance the following nuclear reactions by filling out the missing species or predicting
the products.

1 3 4
1. H + 1¿ 1 H → 2 He ¿

239 4 235
2. 94 Pu → 2 He + 92U

3. U + 239 4 242 1
92 ¿ 2 He → 94 Pu + 0 n ¿

212 4 208
4. 83 Bi → 2 He + 81Tl

37 37 0
5. 19 K → 18 Ar + +1e

226 4 222
6. 88 Ra → 2 He + 86 Rn

7. Be+ 94¿ 11 H → 63 Li + 42 He ¿

254 4 256 1
8. Es+ 99 ¿ 2 He → 101 Md +2 0n ¿

222 0 222
9. 86 Rn + −1 e electron capture 85 At + X−ray
→

222
10. 86 Rn alpha emission 218 4
84 Po + 2 He
→

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Exercise 2: Nuclear Reactions, Binding Energy and Rate of Decay

B. Binding energy

1. Determine the binding energy per nucleon (ΔE/A) for Osmium-190.

Given:
m Os=189.95863 amu
190
76

m n =1.008664 amu
0

m p =1.007276 amu ¿
+¿

Formula:
∆ m=mnucleus−mparticles
2
∆ mc 8 m
E= where c=3.0 × 10 ;
A s
A=number of nucleons=190
Solution:
+¿=76 ¿
p
n 0=m Os− p+¿=189.95863−76=113.95863 ≈114 ¿

m particles =[ 76 ( 1.007276 amu )+ 114(1.008664 amu) ]

¿ 76.552976 amu +114.987696 amu
m particles =191.540672 amu
∆ m=mnucleus−mparticles
¿ 189.95863 amu−191.540672 amu

( )=−2.627044023× 10
−27
1.66054 ×10 kg ( −27 )
∆ m=−1.582042amu kg
1 amu
2
∆mc
∆ E=
A

( )
2
(−2.627044023× 10(−27) kg ) 3.0 × 108 m
s
¿
190 nucleons
−2.464337884 ×10−10 J
¿
190 nucleons

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Exercise 2: Nuclear Reactions, Binding Energy and Rate of Decay

−12 J −12 J
E=−1.24438836 ×10 ≈−1.24 ×10
nucleon nucleon
2. Calculate the amount of energy released (in kJ) 235U undergoes fission to form Te-137
and Zr-96 (Given: m(235U) = 235.043915 amu; m( 1n) = 1.008664 amu; m(137Te) =
136.925449 amu; m(96Zr) = 95.908286 amu)
Note: Fission occurred because of the collision of 235U with a neutron.

Given:
m U =235.043915 amu
235
92

m n=1.008664 amu
1
0

m Te=136.925449 amu
137
52

m Zr =95.908286 amu
96
40

Formula:

∆ m=mreactants−m products
235 1 137 96 1
92 U + 0n → 52 Te + 40Zr +3 0n

reactants products

8 m
E=∆ m c
2
where c=3.0 × 10
s
Solution:

∆ m=mproducts −m reactants

m products =136.925449 amu+ 95.908286 amu+3 (1.008664 amu)=235.859727 amu

mreactants =1.008664 amu+235.043915 amu=236.052579 amu

∆ m=235.859727 amu−236.052579 amu

∆ m=−0.192852 amu

Convert particles to kilograms:

( )
−27
1.66054 × 10 kg
∆ m=−0.192852 amu
1 amu

∆ m=−3.202384601×10−28 kg
Calculate energy released:
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Exercise 2: Nuclear Reactions, Binding Energy and Rate of Decay

2
E=∆ m c

( )
2
m
¿(−3.202384601×10−28) 3 ×10 8
s
−11
E=−2.882146141× 10 J
Convert Joules to kilojoules:

¿−2.882146141×10
−11
J ( 1000
1 kJ
J)

∆ m−2.882146141×10−14 J kJ ≈−2.88 ×10−14 kJ

238 234
3. How much energy is released in the decay of 92 U into 90 Th and an alpha particle?

Given:

m U =238.0508 amu
238
92

m Th=234.0426 amu
234
90

m α =4.0026 amu
4
2

Formula:
∆ m=mproducts −m reactants

238
92 U → 234 4
90 Th+ 2α

reactants products

8 m
E=∆ m c 2 where c=3.0 × 10
s
Solution:

∆ m=mproducts −m reactants

∆ m=( 234.0426 amu+ 4.0026 amu )−238.0508 amu

¿ 238.0452 amu−238.0508 amu

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Exercise 2: Nuclear Reactions, Binding Energy and Rate of Decay

∆ m=−0.0056 amu ( 1.66054 ×10−27 kg

1 amu ) −30
=−9.299024 ×10 kg

2
E=∆ m c

( )
2
−30 m
8
E=(−9.299024 ×10 kg) 3 ×10
s

E=−8.3691216 ×10−13 J ≈−8.37× 10−13 J

C. Rate of Decay

1. Cobalt-60, with a half-life of 5 years, is used in cancer radiation treatments. If a hospital

purchases a supply of 30.0 g, how much would be left after 15 years?

Given:
N 0=30.0 g
t 1 =5 years
2
t=15 years

Required:
Amount left in 30.0 g after 15 years, N

Formula:

ln
( ) N
N0
=−kt

−kt
A=A 0 e

ln ⁡(2)
k=
t1
2

Solution:
ln ⁡(2)
k=
t1
2
ln ⁡(2)
¿
5 years
k =0.1386294361/ year
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Exercise 2: Nuclear Reactions, Binding Energy and Rate of Decay

N=N 0 e−kt
¿(30.0 g)(e [ (−0.1386294361 / year ) (15 years )] )
N=3.750000288 g ≈ 3.75 g

2. The half-life of plutonium-239 is 24,110 years. If an original sample is 100. grams, how
much plutonium-239 remains after 96,440 years?

Given:
N 0=100 g
t 1 =24 , 110 years
2
t=96 , 440 years

Required:
Plutonium-239 remains after 96,440 years, N

Formula:

ln
( NN )=−kt
0

−kt
N=N 0 e

ln ⁡(2)
k=
t1
2

Solution:
ln ⁡(2)
k=
t1
2
ln ⁡(2)
¿
24 , 110 years
k =2.874936 ×10−5 / year
−kt
N=N 0 e
¿(100 g)(e [(−2.874936 ×10 / year ) (96,440 years) ])
−5

N=6.250002774 g ≈ 6.25 g
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Exercise 2: Nuclear Reactions, Binding Energy and Rate of Decay

3. Iodine-131 is used in the treatment of thyroid disease. What is the half-life of iodine-131
if a 160-mg sample became 5 mg after 40 days?

Given:
N 0=160mg
N=5 mg
t=40 days

Required:
Half-life of iodine-131, t 1
2

Formula:
ln ⁡(2)
k=
t1
2
ln ⁡(2)
t 1=
2
k

ln
( )
N
N0
=−kt

−ln ( NN ) =k
0

Solution:

k=
−ln ( ) A
A0
t

k=
−ln ( 1605 mgmg )
40 days
−2
k =8.664339757 ×10 /day

ln ⁡(2)
t 1=
2
k

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Exercise 2: Nuclear Reactions, Binding Energy and Rate of Decay

ln ( 2 )
t 1=
2 8.664339757× 10−2 / day
t 1 =8 days
2

4. Carbon-14 has a half-life of 5715 years. It is used to determine the age of ancient
objects. If a sample today contains 0.060 mg of carbon-14, how much carbon-14 just
have been present in the sample 11,430 years ago?

Given:
t 1 =5 ,715 years
2
t=11,430 years
N=0.060 mg

Required:
Carbon-14 present in the sample 11,430 years ago, N 0

Formula:

ln ( )
N
N0
=−kt

N
N 0= −kt
e

ln ⁡(2)
k=
t1
2
Solution:
ln ⁡(2)
k=
5,715 years
−4
k =1.2128559× 10 / year
N
N 0= −kt
e
0.060 mg
N 0= [(−1.2128559 ×10 / year)(11,430 years )]
−4

e
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Exercise 2: Nuclear Reactions, Binding Energy and Rate of Decay

N 0=0.2399999838 mg≈ 0.24 mg

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