Introduction*to*
Nuclear*Chemistry
How$does$a$nuclear$reactor$work?
http://www.lanl.gov/science/1663/images/reactor.jpg
How$does$a$small$mass$contained$
in$this$bomb$cause……
• Nuclear$
Bomb$of$
1945$
known$as$
“fat$man”
http://www.travisairmuseum.org/assets/images/fatman.jpg
…this&huge&nuclear&explosion?
http://library.thinkquest.org/06aug/01200/Graphics/705pxANuclear_fireball.jpg
Is#there#radon#in#your#basement?
http://a.abcnews.com/images/Blotter/abc_1radon_ad_070625_ssh.jpg
Notation
Nucleons
• Protons-and-Neutrons
• The%nucleons%are%bound%together%by%the%
strong force.%%
Isotopes
• Atoms*of*a*given*element*with:*
same*#protons*
but
different*#*neutrons
H H H
http://education.jlab.org/glossary/isotope.html
Isotopes'of'Carbon
Radioactive(Isotopes
• Isotopes(of(certain(unstable(elements(that
spontaneously emit(particles(and(energy(
from(the(nucleus.
• Henri(Beckerel(1896(accidentally(observed(
radioactivity(of(uranium salts(that(were(
fogging(photographic(film.
• His(associates(were(Marie(and(Pierre(
Curie.(
Marie&Curie:&born&1867,&in&Poland&
as&Maria&Sklodowska
• Lived&in&France
• 1898&discovered&the&
elements&polonium&and&
radium.
http://www.radiochemistry.org/nuclearmedicine/pioneers/images/mariecurie.jpg
Marie&Curie&a&Pioneer&of&
Radioactivity
• Winner'of'1903'
Nobel'Prize'for'
Physics'with'Henri'
Becquerel'and'her'
husband,'Pierre'
Curie.'
• Winner'of'the'sole'
1911'Nobel'Prize'
for'Chemistry.
3"Main"Types"of"Radioactive"Decay
• Alpha""""""!
• Beta "
• Gamma"""#
Alpha'Decay
Emission'of'alpha particles ! :
• helium'nuclei'
• two'protons'and'two'neutrons'
• charge'+2e
• can'travel'a'few'inches'through'air
• can'be'stopped'by'a'sheet'of'
paper,'clothing.
Alpha&Decay
Uranium&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Thorium
Alpha&Decay
http://education.jlab.org/glossary/alphadecay.gif
Beta%Decay
• Beta%particles%!:%electrons%ejected%from%the%
nucleus%when%neutrons%decay
(%%n%:>%p+ +!: )%
• Beta%particles%have%the%same%charge%and%
mass%as%"normal"%electrons.%
Beta%Decay
• Beta%particles%!:%electrons%ejected%from%the%
nucleus%when%neutrons%decay
n%9>%p+ +!9
• Beta%particles%have%the%same%charge%and%
mass%as%"normal"%electrons.%
• Can%be%stopped%by%aluminum%foil%or%a%
block%of%wood.
Beta%Decay
Beta%Decay
Thorium%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%Protactinium
Gamma%Decay
• Gamma%radiation%! : electromagnetic%
energy%that%is%released.
• Gamma%rays%are%electromagnetic%waves.
• They%have%no%mass.
• Gamma%radiation%has%no%charge.
– Most%Penetrating,%can%be%stopped%by%1m%thick%
concrete%or%a%several%cm%thick%sheet%of%lead.%
Examples)of)Radioactive Decay
Alpha)Decay
Po))! Pb))+)))He
Beta)Decay))p! n)))))))+))))))e
n))))! p)))))))+)))))e
C)))! N))))))+)))))e
Gamma)Decay
Ni))! Ni))))))+)))))!
(excited)nucleus)
Which%is%more%penetrating?%Why?
Part%II
•Nuclear%Stability%
•Half3Life
Nuclear(Stability
• Depends(on(the(neutron(to(proton(ratio.
Band%of%Stability
Number%of%Neutrons,%(N)
Number%of%Protons%(Z)
What%happens%to%an%unstable%
nucleus?
• They%will%undergo%decay
• The%type%of%decay%depends%on%the%reason%
for%the%instability
What%type%of%decay%will%happen%if%
the%nucleus%contains%too%many%
neutrons?
• Beta%Decay
Example:
14 14 0
C***! N******+*****e
6 7 /1
In*N/14*the*ratio*of*neutrons*to*protons*is*1:1
• Nuclei(with(atomic(number(>(83(are(
radioactive
Radioactive*Half.Life*(t1/2 ):*
• The*time*for*half*of*the*radioactive*nuclei*
in*a*given*sample*to*undergo*decay.*
Common%Radioactive%Isotopes
Isotope' Half,Life' Radiation'
Emitted
Carbon314% 5,730%years% !, "
Radon3222% 3.8%days #
Uranium3235% 7.0%x%108%years% #, "
Uranium3238% 4.46%x%109%years #
Radioactive*Half.Life
• After*one*half*life*there*is*1/2*of*original*
sample*left.
• After*two*half.lives,*there*will*be*
1/2*of*the*1/2*=*1/4*the*original*sample.
Graph&of&Amount&of&Remaining
Nuclei vs&Time
A=Aoe9!
A
Example
You+have+100+g+of+radioactive+C814.+The+
half8life+of+C814+is+5730+years.
• How+many+grams+are+left+after+one+half8
life?++Answer:50+g
• How+many+grams+are+left+after+two+half8
lives?
Problem
A)sample)of)3x107 Radon)atoms)are)trapped
in)a)basement)that)is)sealed.)The)half;life)of
Radon)is)3.83)days.)How)many)radon)atoms)
are)left)after)31)days?)
answer:1.2x105)atoms
