CHEMISTRY CHAPTER 3: NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY

Table of contents: By Team Meow meow = ( Halimeow and 3 headed creature)

THE NUCLIDE OF ATOM
I. Introduction of nuclear chemistry
II. The nuclide of an atom PARTS OF AN ATOM:
III. Nuclear reactions
IV. Nuclear Stability
V. Types of Nuclear Reactions
VI. Mass Defect and energy in a Nuclear fission
VII. Mass defect and nuclear binding energy
VIII. Radioactive decay law
IX. Uses of radioactive nuclides
X. Nuclear waste categories
XI. Radiation protection

THE ATOMIC NUMBER

 It is the number of protons in the nucleus
I. INTRODUCTION OF NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
MASS NUMBER
What is Radioactivity?  It is the sum if the numbers of protons and neutrons
 is the spontaneous breakdown of an atom by in the nucleus.
emission of practices and/or radiations.
Remember this:
Atomic no = # of protons = # of electrons
Mass no = # of protons + # of neutrons
History of radioactivity
 Henri becquerel - he discovered that uranium EXAMPLE problems
emitted radiation. 1. What is the atomic mass of carbon when the
 Marie Curie – began studying radioactivity and number of proton is 3 and the number of neutron
discovering the radioactive elements radium and is 3 ?
polonium Solution:
Atomic no = # of protons + # of neutrons
NUCLEAR REACTION Atomic no = 3 + 3
Atomic no = 6
Chemical Reaction Nuclear Reaction
2. the atomic mass of unknown element is 28 and the
Atoms are rearranged by Elements are converted to number of electron is 14? Find the number of
breaking and forming of another element protons and neutrons ?
chemical bonds Solution:
Only electrons are involved Proton, Neutron an electron # of Proton = # of electrons
and positron are involved # of protons is 14
Reactions involved Reaction involved
absorption and released of absorption and released of Then:
small amount of energy immense amount of energy Atomic num = # of protons + # of neutrons
Rates of reaction are affected Rates of reaction are not # of neutrons = Atomic num - # of protons
by surface area, affected by surface area,
# of neutron = 28 – 14
concentrations, temperature, concentrations, temperature,
pressure and presence of pressure and presence of # of neutron = 14
catalysts catalysts
Therefore:
N = 14 , e = 14 , p =14
 ISOTOPES

Balancing Nuclear Reactions

1. The total number of protons plus neutrons in the

products in the same ( conversation of mass number)
2. The total number of nuclear charges in the products
and in the reactants are the same ( conservation of
atomic number)

What does isotope look like

Examples
Balance the following nuclear equations:
1. 23993Np → 23994Pu + _____
Ans: 23993Np → 23994Pu + 0-1e

235
2. U + 10n →-----10n + 13956Ba + 9436Kr
92
Examples: Ans : 23592U + 10n → 310n + 13956Ba + 9436Kr
Identify if isotone, isobar , isotope
3. ______ + 10n → 14256Ba +9136Kr + 310n
14 Ans: 23592U + 10n → 14256Ba +9136Kr + 310n
1. C and 147C = isobar
6
232
2. Th and 233
90 90 Th = isotope 4. 6
3 Li + 10n → 0-1e + 42He + _____
3.
40 41
Ar and 19 K = isotone Ans: 63Li + 10n → 0-1e + 42He + 21H
18
13
4. C and 125N = isotone
6 5. 214
Po + 242He + 20-1e → _____
84
3 4
5. He and 2He = isotope
2 Ans: 21484Po + 242He + 20-1e → 22286Rn
40
6. K and 40
19 20 Ca = isobar
2 3
Write the equation in this problem:
7. H and 1 H = isotope
1 a. Lead-196 decays by electron capture.
10
8. Be and 93 Li = isotone
4
14
9. N and 146C = isobar
7

10. Na and 22
20
11 11 Na = isotope b. Phosphorus-28 decays by positron emission.

Joke time:
c. Radium-226 decays by alpha emission.
 20
Ne or 17 17
2. 10 10 Ne Ans: 10 Ne
23
3. 11Na or 25
11 Na Ans: 2511 Na
209 242 242
4. Bi or 96Cm Ans: 96Cm
83

Nuclear Stability
Types of Nuclear Reactions
What is radiosotopes:
 Is a naturally or artificially produced radioactive What is radioactivity?
isotopes. Is the spontaneous decay or disintegration of unstable atomic
nucleus which accompanied by the emission of ionizing
How to find the stability: radiation such as electron, proton and neutron
1. Neutron to proton ratio (n/p)
If n/p =1 then it is stable
If n/p ≠ 1then it is unstable

To stabilize the neutron equation then:

q. If n/p = greater than 1 then beta emitter

So what is the ratio n/p = 33/27 = 1.2

If n/p = lower than 1 then positron emitter

So what is the ratio n/p = 4/5 then 0.8

2. Pair production
No of No of No of Number of
protons neutrons nuclear stable
stability isotopes
odd Odd Least stable 5
Odd Even Less stable 50
Even odd Less stable 53

3. Magic numbers
a. All noble gases are stable = 2,10,18,36, 54 and 86

4. Isotopes with atomic number > 83

Take note:
a. Z > 83 = is unstable
b. Alpha decay is the most common to have an
atomic number greater than 83

Example exercises:
For the pair of isotopes listed which is less stable.
6 9 9
1. 3 Li or 3 Li Ans: 3 Li
 Type of radioactivity

Natural Artificial
(exist in nature) (produce by man)
3. Nuclear fission
a. A process in which a heavy nucleus splits into lighter
once generating one or more free neutrons. Because
heavy nucleus is less stable than its product
example: example: technetium,
uranium,actinium,thorium astantine, francium

1. Radioactive decay –
a. Is a process in which the nucleus spontaneously
disintegrates giving off radiation.

4. Nuclear fusion.
a. A process in which two light nuclei combine to form a
heavier one.

HALF-LIFE
What is Half-life??
 Amount of radioactive material compared to the
2. Nuclear transmutation: original amount A0 or any quantity which is
a. A process in which one nucleus is transformed into proportional to A
another through bombardment by various subatomic
particles or ions.
A knowledge of radioactive half-life is important because c) the binding energy per nucleon.
 It enables the dating of artifacts. Solution:
 It allows us to calculate how long we must store
radioactive waste until they become safe. Eb = (Zmp + Nmn – MA ) x 931.494 MeV/u
 It enables doctors to use safe radioactive tracers.
Calculate the changes in mass (in atomic mass units)
and energy (in joules per mole and electronvolts per
atom) that accompany the radioactive decay of 238U
to 234Th and an α particle. The α particle absorbs two
electrons from the surrounding matter to form a
helium atom.

b. ΔE = (Δm)c2
 = (−4.584 × 10−6 kg)(2.998 × 108 m/s)2 
= −4.120 × 1011 J/mol
C.

Examples of half life problems:

Uses of Radioactive Nuclides
1. ISOTOPE HAS A HALF LIFE OF 6 HOURS. WHAT IS
THE PERCENTAGE WILL BE LEFT AFTER 30 HOURS ?
Use of Radioactive nuclides
Solution:
industries medicines chemistry geology biology
Radiation is used to preserve food.
 it is can used to preserve root crops from sprouting to
eliminate insects from grains and destroy bacteria
that cause food spoiled

2. The half life of a specific element was calculated Applications in medicine

to be 5200 years. Calculate the decay constant (k).

k  0.t693
1
2

0.693
k  1.33 10  4 / year
5200 years

How to solve mass defect:

The most common isotope of uranium, has atomic
mass Calculate
a) the mass defect;
b) the binding energy (in MeV); Nuclear waste categories
Categor Examples Disposal Good luck in the exam 😊
y
Low Contaminated They are put in drums
level equipment, and surrounded by
materials and concentrated and put
protective clothing into clay lined landfilled
used in the hospital mines
and industries
Medium Components from They are mixed with
Level nuclear reaction and concrete then put in a
radioactive sources stainless drum in a
used in medicine purpose built store
practices and
research
High Used nuclear fuels They are stored
Level and chemicals from underwater in large
reprocessing plants pools for 20years, then
placed in storage cask.
In purpose – built
underground store.

Radiation protection