Radiochemistry

Irfan Ashari Hiyahara

 Learning Outcome
1. Writing Nuclear Equations for Alpha Decay
2. Writing Nuclear Equations for Beta Decay, Positron Emission, and Electron
Capture
3. Predicting the Type of Radioactive Decay
 Radioactive & Radioactivity
• Radioactivity is the emission of subatomic particles or energetic
electromagnetic radiation by the nuclei of certain atoms.

• Such atoms are said to be radioactive.

• Because some radioactive emissions can pass through matter (such as skin
and muscle) radioactivity is useful in medicine and many other areas of study
 The Discovery of Radioactivity
• Radioactivity was discovered by Antoine-Henri Becquerel when he found that
uranium causes a photographic exposure in the absence of light.

• Marie Sklodowska Curie later determined that this phenomenon was not
unique to uranium, and she began calling the rays that produced the
exposure radioactivity. Curie also discovered two new elements, polonium
and radium.
 Type of Radoactivity
Natural radioactivity can be categorized into several different types, including

- alpha (a) decay,

- beta (b) decay,
- gamma (g) ray emission,
- and positron emission.

In addition, some unstable atomic nuclei can attain greater stability by

absorbing electrons from one of the atoms’ own orbitals, a process called
electron capture.
 Recall
• we can represent any isotope/nuclide with the following notation:
 Alpha decay & Alpha particle
• Alpha (A) decay occurs when an unstable nucleus emits a particle composed
of two protons and two neutrons

• Since two protons and two neutrons combined are identical to a helium-4
nucleus, the symbol for alpha radiation is the symbol for helium-4.
 Nuclear Equation
• When an element emits an alpha particle, the number of protons in its
nucleus changes, transforming the element into a different element.
• We symbolize this phenomenon with a nuclear equation, an equation that
represents nuclear processes such as radioactivity.
• For example, the nuclear equation for the alpha decay of uranium-238 is:

The sum of the atomic numbers and mass numbers on both sides of a nuclear
equation must be equal.
Example 1: Writing Nuclear Equations for Alpha Decay
 Alpha radioation (ionizing power)
• Alpha radiation is the 18-wheeler truck of radioactivity. The alpha particle is
by far the most massive of all particles commonly emitted by radioactive
nuclei.
• Consequently, alpha radiation has the most potential to interact with and
damage other molecules, including biological ones.
• Highly energetic radiation interacts with other molecules and atoms by
ionizing them. When radiation ionizes molecules within thecells of living
organisms, the cells can usually repair the damage. However, in some cases
the cells can die or begin to reproduce abnormally.
• The ability of radiation to ionize other molecules and atoms is called its
ionizing power.
• Of all types of radioactivity, alpha radiation has the highest ionizing power.
 Alpha radiation (penetrating power)
• However, alpha particles, because of their large size, have the lowest
penetrating power—the ability to penetrate matter. (Imagine a semi trying to
get through a traffic jam.)
• In order for radiation to damage important molecules within living cells, it
must penetrate into the cell.
• Alpha radiation does not easily penetrate into cells because it can be stopped
by a sheet of paper, by clothing, or even by air.
• Consequently, a low-level alpha emitter that remains outside the body is
relatively safe.
• However, consuming large amounts of an alpha emitter can be dangerous
because the alpha particles then havedirect access to the molecules that
compose organs and tissues.