Nuclear Chemistry

1
Nuclear Chemistry

• Look out its Radioactive Man!

2
Types of Radiation

• Alpha radiation (a) emission of He nuclei
• Recall that He is 4He
• Beta radiation (b) emission of beta particles
• A beta particle is also an electron 0b
• Gamma radiation (g) emission of gamma rays
• A gamma ray does not have a mass or charge and is
  shown as 0g

2
-1
0
3
Types of Radiation contd
4
Nuclear Equations

• We use nuclear equations are used to represent
  the decay of one element into another.

5
What Do They Show?

• A nuclear equation shows how a nucleus gains or
  loses subatomic particles.
• Ex. 1

6
Conservation of Matter!

• Rule The sum of the mass numbers of the
  reactants equals the sum of the mass numbers of
  the products .

7
Alpha Decay (alpha particles emitted)

• What element is formed when each of the following
  radioisotopes undergoes alpha decay?
• Polonium-212
• Astatine-218
• Uranium-238
• Polonium-214

8
Alpha Decay answers

• Mass number X is the format
• 212Po ? 4He 208Pb
• 218At ? 4He 214Bi
• 238U ? 4He 234Th
• 214Po ? 4He 210Pb

Atomic number
2
84
82
2
85
83
2
92
90
2
84
82
9
Beta Decay

• What element is formed when each of the following
  radioisotopes undergoes beta decay?
• 3H
• 235U
• 60Fe
• 234Th

1
92
26
90
10
Beta Decay Answers

• 3H ? 0b 3He
• 235U ? 0b 235Np
• 60Fe ? 0b 60Co
• 234Th ? 0b 234Pa

-1
1
2
-1
92
93
-1
26
27
-1
90
91