Nuclear Chemistry

Chapter 23

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Atomic number (Z) = number of protons in nucleus
Mass number (A) = number of protons + number of neutrons
= atomic number (Z) + number of neutrons
Mass Number A
ZX
Element Symbol
Atomic Number

proton neutron electron positron  particle

1
1
p or 1
1
H 0n
1 0
-1 e or 0
-1
 0
+1 e or 0
+1
 4
2 He or 2
4

A 1 1 0 0 4

Z 1 0 -1 +1 2

23.1
 Balancing Nuclear Equations

1. Conserve mass number (A).

The sum of protons plus neutrons in the products must equal
the sum of protons plus neutrons in the reactants.
235 138 96
92 U + 01n 55 Cs + 37 Rb + 2 01n

235 + 1 = 138 + 96 + 2x1

2. Conserve atomic number (Z) or nuclear charge.

The sum of nuclear charges in the products must equal the
sum of nuclear charges in the reactants.
235 138 96
92 U + 01n 55 Cs + 37 Rb + 2 01n
92 + 0 = 55 + 37 + 2x0
23.1
 Po decays by alpha emission. Write the balanced
212

nuclear equation for the decay of 212Po.

alpha particle - 24He or 2

4

84Po 2He + AZX

212 4

212 = 4 + A A = 208

84 = 2 + Z Z = 82

84 Po 2He + 208
82Pb
212 4

23.1
23.1
 Nuclear Stability and Radioactive Decay

Beta decay

6C
14 14
7
N + 0
-1
+ Decrease # of neutrons by 1
19K
40 40
20
Ca + 0
-1
+ Increase # of protons by 1

0n
1 1
1
p + 0
-1
+

Positron decay

6C
11 11
5
B ++10 +  Increase # of neutrons by 1
19K
38 38
18
Ar + 0
+1
+ Decrease # of protons by 1

1p
1 1
0
n + 0
+1
+

 and  have A = 0 and Z = 0

23.2
 Nuclear Stability and Radioactive Decay
Electron capture decay

18 Ar
37
+ -10e 37
17
Cl +  Increase # of neutrons by 1
55
26Fe + 0
-1
e 55
25
Mn +  Decrease # of protons by 1

1p
1
+ -10e 1
0
n+
Alpha decay

Decrease # of neutrons by 2
84 Po 2He + 208
82Pb
212 4

Decrease # of protons by 2
Spontaneous fission

98Cf 2125 In + 2 0n
252 1
49
23.2
n/p too large
beta decay

Y
n/p too small
positron decay or electron capture

23.2
 Nuclear Stability
• Certain numbers of neutrons and protons are extra stable
• n or p = 2, 8, 20, 50, 82 and 126
• Like extra stable numbers of electrons in noble gases
(e- = 2, 10, 18, 36, 54 and 86)
• Nuclei with even numbers of both protons and neutrons
are more stable than those with odd numbers of neutron
and protons
• All isotopes of the elements with atomic numbers higher
than 83 are radioactive
• All isotopes of Tc and Pm are radioactive

23.2
 Nuclear binding energy (BE) is the energy required to break
up a nucleus into its component protons and neutrons.
BE + 199F 911p + 1010n
E = mc2
BE = 9 x (p mass) + 10 x (n mass) – 19F mass
BE (amu) = 9 x 1.007825 + 10 x 1.008665 – 18.9984

BE = 0.1587 amu 1 amu = 1.49 x 10-10 J

BE = 2.37 x 10-11J

binding energy
binding energy per nucleon =
number of nucleons
2.37 x 10-11 J
= = 1.25 x 10-12 J
19 nucleons
23.2
Nuclear binding energy per nucleon vs Mass number

nuclear binding energy

nuclear stability
nucleon
23.2
Kinetics of Radioactive Decay
N daughter
N
rate = - rate = N
t
N
- = N
t
N = N0exp(-t) lnN = lnN0 - t
N = the number of atoms at time t

N0 = the number of atoms at time t = 0

 is the decay constant

ln2
 =
t½
23.3
 Kinetics of Radioactive Decay

[N] = [N]0exp(-t) ln[N] = ln[N]0 - t

ln [N]
[N]

23.3
Radiocarbon Dating
14
7 N + 0n
1 14
6C + 1H
1

6C
14 14
7
N + 0
-1
+ t½ = 5730 years

Uranium-238 Dating

92 U
238 206
82Pb + 8 4
2  + 6 -1
0
t½ = 4.51 x 109 years

23.3
 Nuclear Transmutation

N + 2 O + 1p
14 4 17 1
7 8

Al + 2 P + 0n
27 4 30 1
13 15

N + 1p C + 2
14 1 11 4
7 6

Cyclotron Particle Accelerator

23.4
Nuclear Transmutation

23.4
 Nuclear Fission

235
92 U + 0n
1 90
38Sr + 143
54 Xe + 3 1
0n + Energy

Energy = [mass 235U + mass n – (mass 90Sr + mass 143Xe + 3 x mass n )] x c2

Energy = 3.3 x 10-11J per 235U

= 2.0 x 1013 J per mole 235U
Combustion of 1 ton of coal = 5 x 107 J
23.5
 Nuclear Fission
Representative fission reaction
235
92 U + 0n
1 90
38Sr + 143
54 Xe + 3 1
0n + Energy

23.5
 Nuclear Fission
Nuclear chain reaction is a self-sustaining sequence of
nuclear fission reactions.
The minimum mass of fissionable material required to
generate a self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction is the
critical mass.

Non-critical

Critical

23.5
Schematic Diagram of a Nuclear Reactor

23.5
 Nuclear Fission

35,000 tons SO2 Annual Waste Production

4.5 x 106 tons CO2

70 ft3
3.5 x 106 vitrified
ft3 ash waste

1,000 MW coal-fired 1,000 MW nuclear

power plant power plant
23.5
 Nuclear Fission

Hazards of the
radioactivities in spent
fuel compared to
uranium ore

From “Science, Society and America’s Nuclear Waste,” DOE/RW-0361 TG 23.5

Chemistry In Action: Nature’s Own Fission Reactor

Natural Uranium
0.7202 % U-235 99.2798% U-238

Measured at Oklo
0.7171 % U-235
 Nuclear Fusion

Fusion Reaction Energy Released

2
1 H + 2
1 H 3
1 H + 1H
1
6.3 x 10-13 J
2
1 H + 1H
3 4
2 He + 0n
1 2.8 x 10-12 J

Li + 3.6 x 10-12 J
1H 2 42He
6 2
3

Tokamak
magnetic plasma
confinement

23.6
 Radioisotopes in Medicine
• 1 out of every 3 hospital patients will undergo a nuclear
medicine procedure
• 24
Na, t½ = 14.8 hr,  emitter, blood-flow tracer

• 131
I, t½ = 14.8 hr,  emitter, thyroid gland activity

• 123
I, t½ = 13.3 hr, ray emitter, brain imaging

• 18
F, t½ = 1.8 hr,  emitter, positron emission tomography

• 99m
Tc, t½ = 6 hr, ray emitter, imaging agent

Brain images
with 123I-labeled
compound

23.7
 Radioisotopes in Medicine
Research production of 99Mo

42Mo + 10n 42Mo

98 99

Commercial production of 99Mo

92 U + 01n 42Mo + other fission products

235 99
Bone Scan with
99m
Tc

42Mo
99
43Tc
99m
+ -10 +  t½ = 66 hours

43Tc
99m
43Tc
99
+ -ray t½ = 6 hours

23.7
Geiger-Müller Counter

23.7
Biological Effects of Radiation
Radiation absorbed dose (rad)
1 rad = 1 x 10-5 J/g of material
Roentgen equivalent for man (rem)
1 rem = 1 rad x Q Quality Factor
-ray = 1
=1
 = 20

23.8
 Chemistry In Action: Food Irradiation

Dosage Effect

Inhibits sprouting of potatoes, onions, garlics.

Up to 100 kilorad Inactivates trichinae in pork. Kills or prevents insects
from reproducing in grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Delays spoilage of meat poultry and fish. Reduces
100 – 1000 kilorads
salmonella. Extends shelf life of some fruit.
Sterilizes meat, poultry and fish. Kills insects and
1000 to 10,000 kilorads
microorganisms in spices and seasoning.