NUCLEAR CHEM

• radioactivity involves the spontaneous emission of particles ionizing radiation by unstable nuclei
• radioactive decay is the spontaneous disintegration of an unstable nuclide to a more stable one by emitting high-energy particles and electromagnetic radiation
• nuclear binding energy provides the powerful short-range force that holds the nuclear particles together in a very small volume
• mass defect is when a nucleus decays and some of the mass of the proton and neutron is converted into energy
• half-life is the length of time for half a radioactive nuclide to disappear or disintegrate
• nuclear transmutation or nuclear bombardment reaction is when a nucleus is bombarded with an atomic particle or a nucleus of a lighter element and is converted into another nucleus
• nuclear fission is the splitting of heavy nuclei to a lighter nuclei
• nucleus fusion is the combination of two light nuclei to form a heavy nuclei
• types of radioactive decay are:

  1. alpha emission
  2. beta emission
  3. positron emission
  4. electron capture
  5. gamma emission
• organic chemistry is the study of the structure, properties, composition, reactions, and preparations of carbon-containing compounds
• elements in organic chemistry include hydrocarbons, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, halogens, phosphorus, silicon, and sulfur
• functional groups are groups of atoms responsible for the characteristic reactions of a particular compound