nuclear chem quiz 1 cards

• Artificial Transmutation


  • Always 2 reactants
  • Not spontaneous
• Natural Transmutation


  • Always 1 reactant
  • Spontaneous
• If you add actual masses of all protons and electrons in an atom and compare to atom's actual mass, mass is lost</b>
• Mass deficit


  Mass is converted to energy (E=mc²)
• Binding energy


  Energy that holds subatomic particles together
• Radioactive decay


  An unstable (radioactive) nucleus of an atom breaks apart into smaller parts
• Transmutation


  Occurs when the unstable element (radioactive) decays into a new element
• Radioactive decay always turns into a more stable element
• Radioactivity


  Due to proton-neutron ratio
• Band of stability


  Refers to atoms that are stable due to stable proton-neutron ratios
• Types of decay (radiation)

  • Alpha decay
  • Beta decay
  • Gamma decay
  • Positron emission
• In a nuclear reaction, mass and charge must be conserved
• Beta decay


  Atoms above the belt have too many neutrons and will beta decay
• Beta particle


  An electron created when a neutron decays
• Total mass on left must equal total mass on right, total charge on left must equal total charge on right
• Positron emission


  Atoms below the belt have too many protons and will positron decay
• Positron


  The opposite of a beta particle
• Alpha decay


  Atoms with 82 or more protons will alpha decay due to too many protons and neutrons
• Alpha particle


  Helium nuclei, weakly penetrating
• Gamma decay


  Strongest and most penetrating type of radiation, usually accompanies other types of decay
• Radiation is charged and can be separated by a magnetic field
• Alpha particles have the least penetrating power, gamma radiation has the most penetrating power
• Nuclear Chemistry


  About the nucleus (show it changes, not the elements)
• Nuclear Chemistry


  Number of protons & neutrons will change & atoms will change, emitting energy & particles in the processes
• Radioactivity


  When atoms decay into other elements & emit radiation in the form of energy & subatomic particles
• Transmutations


  When the atomic nucleus of one element is changed into the nucleus of a different element
• Radioisotope


  An isotope that is unstable and therefore radioactive
• What makes elements radioactive?
• Stability of the atom/nucleus

  The ratio of protons to neutrons determines the stability
• As the atom gets bigger, the ratio required to keep the nucleus stable changes
• If there's too many protons/neutrons, the element will decay until the atom has reached a stable ratio
• Elements with atomic # 83 + above are considered unstable and have isotopes that are radioactive
• Particles released during radioactive decay

  • Alpha
  • Beta
  • Gamma
• Alpha particles


  • Positive charge, Mass: 4, Lowest penetrating power
• Beta particles


  • Negative charge, Mass: 0, More penetrating power than alpha
• Gamma rays


  • No charge, No mass, Most penetrating power
• Alpha particles


  Attracted to the negative side
• Beta particles


  Attracted to the positive side
• Gamma rays


  Go right through the middle
• Natural Transmutation


  Spontaneous decay of unstable/radioactive isotopes, emitting/producing radiation