Pamantasan ng Cabuyao

College of Computing and

Engineering COE 102 –

CHEMISTRYFOR ENGINEERS

Name: Mark Andrew D. Mariquit

Section: 1-BSIE-B
Date: October

Post -Test
I.
1. How does nuclear reaction differ from ordinary chemical reactions?

 Nuclear reactions involve a change in an atom's nucleus, usually

producing a different element. Chemical reactions, on the other hand,
involve only a rearrangement of electrons and do not involve changes
in the nuclei.
 Different isotopes of an element normally behave similarly in
chemical reactions. The nuclear chemistry of different isotopes vary
greatly from each other.
 Rates of chemical reactions are influenced by temperature and
catalysts. Rates of nuclear reactions are unaffected by such factors.
 Nuclear reactions are independent of the chemical form of the
element.
 Energy changes accompanying nuclear reactions are much
larger. This energy comes from destruction of mass.
 In a nuclear reaction, mass is not strictly conserved. Some of the
mass is converted into energy, E = mc2.

2. What are the steps in balancing nuclear equations?

 Determine the Atomic Mass A in X by evaluating the given Atomic

mass.
 Determine the Charge Z in X by evaluating the given charges.
 Find Element/Entity X using the obtained Value of atomic mass and
charge.
 0 0
3. What is the difference between 𝑒 and β?
−1 −1
There is no difference between these two entities because it is the
0 0
same electron. β, also represented by the symbol 𝑒
−1 −1

4. What is the difference between an electron and a positron?

Electron is (particle) the subatomic particle having a negative charge

and orbiting the nucleus; the flow of electrons in a conductor
constitutes electricity while positron is (particle) the antimatter
equivalent of an electron, having the same mass but a positive charge.

II. Complete the following nuclear equation and identify X in each case:
26 1 4
a) 𝑀𝑔 + 𝑝 𝛼+𝑋
12 → 2
1
𝐴
Solve for Atomic Mass A of 𝑋:
𝑍
26+1=4+A
27-4=A
A=23
𝐴
Solve for Charge Z of 𝑋:
𝑍
12+1=2+Z
13-2=Z
Z=11
Since Z=11 and A=23 the Element X is N or Nitrogen.

59 2 60
b) 𝐶𝑜 + 𝐻 𝐶𝑜 + 𝑋
27 27
→
1
𝐴
Solve for Atomic Mass A of 𝑋:
𝑍
59+2=60+A
61-60=A
A=1
𝐴
Solve for Charge Z of 𝑋:
𝑍
27+1=27+Z
28-27=Z
Z=1
Since Z=1 and A=1 the Entity X is p or proton.
c) 235 1 94 139
𝑈 + 𝑛 → 𝐾𝑟 + 𝐵𝑎 + 3𝑋
92 0 36 56
𝐴
Solve for Atomic Mass A of 𝑋:
𝑍
235+1=94+139+3A
236-233=3A
A=1
𝐴
Solve for Charge Z of 𝑋:
𝑍
92+0=36+56+3Z
92-92=3Z
Z=0
Since Z=0 and A=1 the Entity X is n or neutron.

53 4 1
d)
𝐶𝑟 + 𝛼 → 𝑛 + 𝑋
24 2 0
𝐴
Solve for Atomic Mass A of 𝑋:
𝑍
53+4=4+1+A
57-5=A
A=52
𝐴
Solve for Charge Z of 𝑋:
𝑍
24+2=2+0+Z
26-2=Z
Z=24
Since Z=24 and A=52 the Element X is Cr or Chromium.

20 20
e) 𝑂→ 𝐹+𝑋
8 9
𝐴
Solve for Atomic Mass A of 𝑋:
𝑍
20=20+A
20-20=A
A=0
𝐴
Solve for Charge Z of 𝑋:
𝑍
8=9+Z
8-9=Z
Z=-1
Since Z= -1 and A=0 the Entity X is 𝒆 or 𝛽 or electron.
III.
1. State the general rules for predicting nuclear stability.

 all stable nuclei have a number of neutrons that is equal to or greater

than the number of protons.
 a nucleus that has an N/Z number close to 1 is stable.
 nuclei with even numbers of neutrons and protons are more stable.
 magic numbers for protons or neutrons: 2, 8, 20, 28, 50, 82, 126
 no atoms that have atomic numbers larger than 83 and mass numbers
larger than 209 are stable.

2. What is the belt of stability?

- A plot of the number of neutrons versus the number of protons for
stable nuclei reveals that the stable isotopes fall into a narrow band.

2
3. Why is it impossible for the isotope 𝐻𝑒 to exist?
2
- The E-M force would cause the protons to repel each other, leaving
two Hydrogen atoms.

4. Define nuclear binding energy, mass defect, and nucleon.

 Nuclear binding energy is the energy required to split a nucleus of an

atom into its component parts: protons and neutrons, or, collectively, the
nucleons. The binding energy of nuclei is always a positive number,
since all nuclei require net energy to separate them into individual
protons and neutrons.
 Mass defect is the difference between the mass of the atom and the sum
of the masses of its parts.
 Nucleon is the collective term for protons and neutrons. Nucleons are
the particles found in the nucleus of atoms. Most notably nucleons are a
result of the strong force holding the atoms together—which is stronger
than the electric force.

5. How does Einstein’s equation, 𝐸 = 𝑚𝑐2, enable us to calculate nuclear binding

energy?

- 𝐸 = 𝑚𝑐2 enable us to calculate nuclear binding energy by calculating

first the mass defect and multiply it in square of speed of light.
6. Why is it preferable to use nuclear binding energy per nucleon for a
comparison of the stabilities of different nuclei?

- It is more preferable because as nuclear binding energy is used to

separate the nucleus into subatomic particles, larger atoms will have
larger nuclei thus requiring more nuclear binding energy. However,
nuclear binding energy per nucleon allows for a more accurate
comparison without the bias of atom size.