Chapter 10 Notes

Nuclear Chemistry
10.1 Radioactivity
Radioactivity is a process in which ______________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
An atom that contains an unstable nucleus is called a radioactive isotope.
Radioactivity leads to _______________________, where atoms of one element can change into atoms
of a different element altogether.
Nuclear radiation can ionize atoms.
Scientists can detect a radioactive substance by measuring nuclear radiation
____________________________- charged particles and energy that is emitted from the nuclei of
radioisotopes.
There are three types of nuclear radiation
1. ______________________________________________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________- nuclear decay that releases alpha particles.
Write the equation for alpha decay from p. 293 in your book.

Alpha particle- _____________________________________________________________________

___________________________- releases negatively charged radiation called beta particles
Beta particle- _______________________________________________________________________
_________________________is a penetrating ray of energy emitted by an unstable nucleus
Gamma radiation has _____________________________________________
During gamma decay the atomic number and mass number of an atom remain the -_______________,
but the energy of the nucleus ____________________.
You are exposed to nuclear radiation every day.
__________________________ or nuclear radiation that occurs naturally in the environment is what we
are exposed to. Ex. Radioisotopes in air water, rocks, plants, and animals, radon gas (read article about
radon poisoning), and cosmic rays.
The dangerous part is that nuclear radiation can ____________ atoms which means that it can break
down proteins and other DNA in cells and cause severe damage.

Devices used to detect nuclear radiation include __________________ and ___________________.

Section 10.1 Assessment questions 1-11 p. 297

Section 10:2
Every radioisotope decays at a ____________________ that can be expressed as a half-life.
_________________________- time required for one half of a sample of a radioisotope to decay
The half-life can be ___________________________________________ of years

Look at P. 299 Figure 10 and answer the following questions:

What % of Radon-222 is remaining after 2 half lives?

Which isotope would have 50% remaining after 5730 years?
How many half lives would occur after 96.4 days for Thorium-234?
How many helium particles does Uranium-235 release after 3 half lives?
In radiocarbon dating, the age of an object is determined by comparing the objects
_____________________________ with carbon-14 levels in the atmosphere.
Lab: Modeling Half Life
Section 10.2 Assessment Questions 1-6 p. 301
Section 10:3 Artificial Transmutation
*Read p. 303
________________________ is the conversion of atoms of one element to atoms of another. It involves
a nuclear change not a chemical change. Ex. Alchemist
Scientists can perform artificial transmutation by bombarding atomic nuclei with high energy particles
such as __________________________________________________.
Elements with atomic number greater than 92 are called ________________________ elements.
Scientist can synthesize a transuranium element by the artificial transmutation of a __________
element.
*Do quick Lab Modeling Transmutation p. 304
Section 10.3 Assessment Questions 1-7 p. 305

Section 10.4 Fission and Fusion

Read 1st paragraph p. 308

The nucleus of an atom contains an enormous amount of ___________________.

During transmutation mass, from the nucleus, is converted into ____________________.
Nuclear Forces
___________________________________ is the attractive force that binds protons and neutrons
together in the nucleus
-over very short distances, the strong nuclear force is much greater than the ________________ forces
among the protons
the more protons in a nucleus, the _____________________________ the electric force, so in large
nuclei there is more repulsive force.
Explain in your own words the effect of the size of the atom on strong nuclear forces ( read page 309)
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

A nucleus becomes unstable or radioactive when the strong nuclear force can no longer overcome the
repulsive ________________ forces among the protons. All nuclei with _______ or more protons are
radioactive. Look at the periodic table and list 8 elements that are radioactive:____________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Fission

Read last paragraph p. 309

___________________ is the splitting of one nucleus into two or more

during fission tremendous amounts of __________________ are produced from a very small mass
(figure 18)
In 1905, 30 years before the discovery of fission Albert Einstein introduced his now famous equation
that related mass to energy called: E = mc2; m = the mass lost during transmutation and c = the speed
of light (____________________ m/s). An example of a powerful explanation of this mass energy
equation was the _______________________________________________ in 1945.
*Read 1st paragraph p. 311

during fission one reaction leads to a series of others causing a ____________________________. Fig.
19
Explain the difference between a controlled and an uncontrolled chain reaction ( read last 2 paragraphs
p. 311)______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________ is the smallest possible mass of a fissionable material that can
sustain a chain reaction
nuclear power plants use controlled fission reactions of _________________________________ to
generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants produce ___________ percent of all of the
electricity in the US.
Name one advantage and 3 disadvantages for using nuclear power p. 312-313
Advantage:_____________________________________________________________________
Disadvantages:_________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
generates nuclear waste p. 311 Figure 20
*read timeline PP. 312-12 and nuclear power station p. 314
Fusion
_________________________is a process in which the nuclei of two atoms combine to form a larger
nucleus. It requires extremely high temperatures.
The sun and the stars are powered by the fusion of _____________________________________.
_____________________ is a state of matter in which atoms have been stripped of their electrons. It
contains 2 types of particles which are ________________________________________________.
Section Assessment Question 1-7 p. 315
Lab: Modeling a Chain Reaction p. 316.
Do Concept Map p. 318 and questions 1-22 p. 319