In this webquest, you will explore nuclear chemistry in real-world situations.

You will learn

about fusion and fission, types of radiation, its effects on humans, and how nuclear power is
produced as well as its repercussions and disasters. Follow the steps below.

Go to the website: http://www.atomicarchive.com/Physics/Physics1.shtml

by clicking here:
PART A: Introduction to Atomic Physics

1. Atom is the smallest particle of matter that maintains the properties of that
element.
2. Sir Ernst Rutherford concluded what two things about atomic structure:
a. the atom is almost entirely empty space
b. has a tiny, hard nucleus that carries the positive charge and almost
all the mass of the atom.
3. Niels Bohr contributed what to atomic structure theory:
a. energy levels of electrons
4. What is the unit of measure for the diameter of atoms? femtometre
5. What is the unit of measure from above equal to? 10^-15 meter
6. An atom consists of three basic subatomic particles. List each below. Include its
charge and who discovered it.
a. Proton; + charge; Ernest Rutherford
b. electron;- charge; Joseph John Thomson
c. neutron;no charge; James Chadwick

7. The number of which subatomic particles determines the chemical element that it
is? proton
8. The number and arrangement of which subatomic particle determines most of the
atom’s properties? electrons
9. Protons and neutrons are composed of even smaller subatomic particles called
Quarks.
10. Define isotopes: element with same number of protons but different number of
neutrons.
11. Isotopes have the same chemical properties but very different physical properties.
12. Most isotopes are stable but some are radioactive
13. What is binding energy? The energy that holds a nucleus together.
14. What does binding energy determine? amount of energy required to separate a
particle from a system of particles or to disperse all the particles of the system.

15. Einstein’s famous equation of relativity, E = mc2, explains the relationship

between the binding energy and mass defect. It explains that a small amount of
mass can produce a large amount of energy.
16. Define radioactivity: the emission of ionizing radiation or particles caused by the
spontaneous disintegration of atomic nuclei.

17. Name the three scientists that discovered and researched radioactivity:
a. Henri Becquerel
b. Pierre Curie
 c. Maria Skłodowska-Curie

List the three most common types of radioactive decay:

a. Alpha decay
b. Beta decay
c. Gamma decay

18. Define half-life: the time required for half of something to undergo a
process

19. List what is emitted during each decay type:

a. Alpha: 2 protons and 2 neutrons alpha particle + energy

b. Beta: 1 electron + energy

c. Spontaneous fission: neutrons

PART B: Carbon Dating http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tech/radiocarbon-dating.html

(google search NOVA radiocarbon dating and click the first link, click LAUNCH
INTERACTIVE)

1. How are carbon-12 and carbon-14’s atomic structures different from each other?
Carbon-12 has 6 neutrons and carbon-14 has 8 neutrons which make it i unstable

2. What happens to one of the neutrons in a carbon-14 nucleus?

negatively charged particle turns one neutron to proton

3. What does the carbon-14 turn into? Nitrogen-14

4. What happens to stable carbon-12 as an organism dies?

 doesn’t decay over time
5. To find the carbon date of something, scientists compare what two levels?
compare amount of carbon-14 to amount of carbon-12
PART C: Distinguish between Fission and Fusion
Go to http://www.diffen.com/difference/Nuclear_Fission_vs_Nuclear_Fusion
1. Fill in the chart showing the differences between fission and fusion.
Nuclear Fission
Natural occurrence of the Fission reaction does not
process: normally occur in nature.
Fission produces many
Byproducts of the reac on: highly radioactive
particles.
Fission reactions release
Energy Ra os: 3-4 times less energy
than fusion reactions
One class of nuclear
weapon is a fission bomb,
Nuclear weapon:
also known as an atomic
bomb or atom bomb.
Fission is the splitting of a
Defini on: large atom into two or
more smaller ones.
Critical mass of the
Condi ons: substance and high-speed
neutrons are required.
Takes little energy to split
Energy requirement: two atoms in a fission
reaction.
Nuclear Fusion
Fusion occurs in stars,
such as the sun.
Few radioactive particles
are produced by fusion
reaction, but if a fission
"trigger" is used,
radioactive particles will
result from that.
Fusion reactions release
3-4 times more energy
than fission reactions
One class of nuclear
weapon is the hydrogen
bomb, which uses a fission
reaction to "trigger" a
fusion reaction.
Fusion is the fusing of two
or more lighter atoms into
a larger one.
High density, high
temperature environment
is required.
Extremely high energy is
required to bring two or
more protons close enough
 Nuclear Fission Nuclear Fusion
that nuclear forces
overcome their
electrostatic repulsion.

2. Draw the diagram for a nuclear fusion and nuclear fission reaction.

Fusion Fission

3. Which occurs naturally in nature, fission or fusion? Explain. Fusion occurs naturally in
sun
4. Which type of reaction is used in an atom bomb? fission
A hydrogen bomb fusion ?

5. Which type of bomb was detonated by the United States in 1945 on the Japanese city of
Hiroshima? atom

6. Which is more environmentally friendly, a fission or fusion reaction? Explain.Fusion is

among the most environmentally friendly sources of energy. There are no CO2 or other
harmful atmospheric emissions from the fusion process

Use the following website to answer questions 1-6:

http://www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energy.cfm?page=2

1) Why do we use uranium for nuclear energy?

Atom split apart easily to create nuclear chain reaction and it is common in
enviroment

2) How does nuclear fission work with Uranium?

During nuclear fission, a neutron collides with a uranium atom and splits it,
releasing a large amount of energy in the form of heat and radiation. Then other
neutrons from previous split collides with other uranium atom and creates chain
of reactions
 3) What percent does nuclear energy contribute to the total net electricity generated
in the U.S.?
Nuclear power plants generate about 20% of U.S. electricity

4) How do nuclear power plants generate electricity?

Nuclear power plants heat water to produce steam. The steam is used to spin large
turbines that generate electricity.

5) What are the costs and benefits to the environment of using nuclear energy?
Benefits: Zero carbon emissions, Costs: creation of radioactive wastes

6) Where does the U.S. government plan to store the radioactive waste from nuclear
power plants?
In special storage system facilities

PART D: Go to http://www.atomicarchive.com/Effects/radeffects.shtml

List at least ten things that radiation can do to the human body.

1)The losing of hair quickly and in clumps occurs with radiation exposure at 200 rems or
higher.
2)exposure is 5,000 rems or greater can cause seizures and immediate death.
3)radioactive iodine can destroy all or part of the thyroid
4)around 100 rems, the blood's lymphocyte cell count will be reduced, leaving the victim
more susceptible to infection
5)1,000 to 5,000 rems would do immediate damage to small blood vessels and probably
cause heart failure and death directly.
6)reproductive tract cells divide rapidly, these areas of the body can be damaged at rem
levels as low as 200.
7)nausea
8)bloody vomiting
9)diarrhea.
10)The radiation will begin to destroy the cells in the body that divide rapidly. These
including blood, GI tract, reproductive and hair cells, and ultimately harms their DNA
and RNA of surviving cells.

List 3 pros and 3 cons of using nuclear energy.

Pros Cons
1)Reliable power source 1) water intensive
2)Zero-carbon emission 2)Risk of nuclear accidents

3)Promising energy future 3) nuclear waste