RADIOACTIVIT

Y
RADIOACTIVIT
Y GROUP 3

RADIOACTIVIT
 01
HISTORY
 THE DISCOVERY
OF RADIOACTIVITY
Henri Becquerel (1852–1908)
was studying phosphorescence
minerals that emit light after
being exposed to sunlight
phosphorescent uranium salts
produced spontaneous emissions
that darkened photographic
plates.
THE DISCOVERY OF
RADIOACTIVITY
Marie Curie (1867–1934) and her
husband Pierre (1859–1906) took
Becquerel’s mineral sample (called
pitchblende) and isolated the
components emitting the rays.
darkening of the photographic
plates was due to rays emitted
specifically from the uranium
atoms present in the mineral
sample.
 THE DISCOVERY
OF RADIOACTIVITY
• Marie Curie named the process
by which materials give off such
rays radioactivity
• the rays and particles emitted by
a radioactive source are called
radiation.
 TYPES OF
RADIATION
isotopes are atoms of the same
element that have different
numbers of neutrons.
Isotopes of atoms with unstable
nuclei are called radioisotopes
emit radiation to attain more
stable atomic configurations in a
process called radioactive
decay
lose energy by emitting one of
several types of radiation.
WHY DO SOME ATOMS DECAY?
The nucleus contains tightly packed protons and
neutrons (nucleons)

The strong nuclear force keeps the nucleons packed

together even though protons want to push each
other away

Stable atoms have a neutron to proton ratio of about

1:1
WHY DO SOME ATOMS DECAY?
As atomic number increases, more neutrons are
required to have enough of a strong force to
keep the protons pushed together

The neutron to proton ratio for stable atoms

increases to 1.5:1
BAND STABILITY
Marie Curie (1867–1934) and her
husband Pierre (1859–1906) took
Becquerel’s mineral sample (called
pitchblende) and isolated the
components emitting the rays.
darkening of the photographic
plates was due to rays emitted
specifically from the uranium
atoms present in the mineral
sample.
TYPES OF NUCLEAR
RADIATION
TYPES OF NUCLEAR RADIATION

ALPHA BETA GAMMA

 ALPHA RADIATION
Release of 2 protons and 2 neutrons
Equivalent to a He nucleus
Charge of 2+
Mass = 4 amu
Largest and slowest
Least penetrating  can be stopped by paper
Changes to a different element with a lower
atomic mass and lower atomic number
Example: Polonium-212 (atomic# 84) is
converted to Lead-208 (atomic# 82)
 BETA RADIATION
• Decay of a neutron into a proton and
electron
• Electron is emitted, proton stays
• Forms a new element b/c of addition of
proton
• Decay of the proton into a neutron and
positron (like a positive electron)
• The positron is emitted as a beta particle
• Faster than alpha particles  can be
stopped by aluminum foil
 GAMMA RADIATION
• Not a particle
• Electromagnetic wave with short
wavelength and high frequency &
energy
• No mass, no charge
• Very fast  speed of light
• Stronger than X-ray
• Stopped by several centimeters of lead
Transmutation: changing one element into
another through radioactive decay
Adding or removing a proton changes the
atomic number, resulting in a different element
Half-Life: amount of time for half of a sample of
a radioactive element to decay into something
else
Can range from a fraction of a second to billions
of years
Amount remaining=initial amount(1/2)t/T
t=total time
T=half-life
 HALF LIFE

1 n
mf  m ( ) i 2

mf: final mass

mi: initial mass
n:# of half-lives
 HALF LIFE
Iodine-131 has a half life of 8 days. If
there are 200 grams of this sample,
how much of I-131 will remain after
32 days?
 Easy method

8 8 8 8
200 100 50 25 12.5 g
 Solving
n
= ()
mf: final mass
Given:
mi: initial mass
n:# of half-lives
n = 4 (8x4= 32 which is the
given number of days)
4
= 200()

= 12.5 g
 HALF LIFE
Sodium-24 has a half life of 15 hours.
If there are 800g of Na-24 initially,
how long will it take for 750g of Na-
24 to decay?
 East method

1 1 1 1
800 5 400 5 200 5 100 5 50 g
 Solving

= () n
mf: final mass
mi: initial mass
Given:
n:# of half-lives
n=4

4
= 800()
T= 15 x 4 = 60
hours
= 50 g
 NUCLEAR DECAY
Alpha Emission

238 234 4
92 U 90Th  He2

parent daughter alpha

nuclide nuclide particle
Numbers must balance!!
 NUCLEAR DECAY
● Beta Emission

131 131 0
53 I 54 Xe  e
-1

electron
 NUCLEAR DECAY
● Positron Emission

38 38 0
19 K  Ar  e
18 1

poistron
 NUCLEAR DECAY
● Electron Capture
106 0 106
47 Ag  e -1 46 Pd
electron
Gamma Emission
Usually follows other types of decay.
TYPES OF TRANSMUTATION

INDUCED NATURAL
TRANSMUTATI TRANSMUTATION
Nucleus of ON
an unstable isotope Occurs naturally as a
(radionuclide) is struck with a radioisotope decays to
high velocity charged particle become more stable
Particle accelerator
Need lots of energy and
unstable nucleus
Elements atomic 93 and higher
(transuranium elements)
 NUCLEAR FISSION
• Fission = divide
• Neutron hits an unstable atom
• Nucleus splits into two fragments of about the
same mass
- Some single neutrons are released (energy)
- These neutrons can smash into other atoms
- Causes a chain reaction
FISSION REACTION
CHAIN REACTION
NUCLEAR REACTORS
• Nuclear power plants use
the process of nuclear
fission to produce heat in
nuclear reactors.
• The heat is used to
generate steam, which is
then used to drive turbines
that produce electricity.
ATOMIC BOMB
Little Boy: $2billion in research; made of
Uranium-235; equal to 20,000 tons of TNT;
140,000 people died; 2/3 of the city destroyed
Fat Man: Plutonium-239; 70,000 people died;
40% of the city destroyed
 HYDROGEN BOMB
• 1000 times more powerful than atomic bomb
• March 1, 1954; Bikini Atoll in Pacific
Never in war
• Fission reaction triggers fusion of Hydrogen
isotopes
 NUCLEAR FUSION
Opposite of fission
Two nuclei fuse together to form one
nucleus with a larger mass
Not simple sum of masses
Some mass lost as energy
Requires high temperature:
Thermonuclear reaction
Occurs in the sun and stars
4 H combine to form one He, 2e- and
energy
NUCLEAR FUSION
SOLAR FLARE
 RADIATION DETECTORS
Cloud Chamber
supersaturated water or ethanol
radioactive particle flows through
and knocks e- off
vapor condenses showing path
alpha: short/thick trails; beta:
long/thin
Bubble Chamber
superheated liquid
e- knocked off again
bubbles are formed
MEASURING RADIATION

• Geiger Counter
produces electric current
when near radiation
Results in clicks or a
digital reading
USING NUCLEAR
REACTIONS IN MEDICINE
• Tracers: monitor body
processes
Iodine-131
emits beta particles
used to detect tumors
in thyroid gland
also used: Carbon-11 and
Sodium -24
• Cancer Treatment
damage cancer cells
• Gold -198 or Iridium -192 -- implanted in
or near tumor
• Cobalt-60
outside body
emits gamma rays
POSITRON EMISSION
TOMOGRAPHY (PET)
Fluorine-18 attached to
molecules that go to
brain
Positrons are emitted and
collide with electrons
forming 2 gamma rays
the gamma rays are
detected and indicate
brain activity