1. Atomic & Nuclear Chemistry

2. Monday 10/29/12 Prep: Find geiger counter & samples Class:
Coop Quiz – A Mole Conversion & An Avg Atomic Mass Problem
Isotopes (Quick Review) Radiation Demos
Alpha, Beta, Gamma Radiation
Fission vs Fusion
Nuclear Equations – Alpha, Beta
Asmt: Write Nuclear Equations for the Uranium Decay Series

3. Vocabulary 2B (Define in your notebook)
Isotope nuclear reactor
Radioisotope nuclear weapon
Radioactivity half life
Radiation nuclear equation
Fission positron
Fusion radiocarbon dating
Radioactive decay critical mass
Alpha particle nuclear bombardment
Beta particle curie
Gamma ray rem
Nuclear chain reaction plasma
Dosimeter transmutation

4. Isotopes
Atoms of a single element have the same number of protons but may differ in neutrons.
Example 1: Carbon-12 vs Carbon-14
Example 2: Uranium-238 vs Uranium-235
Some isotopes are stable while others are unstable and radioactive.
The STRONG NUCLEAR FORCE acts between protons & neutrons to hold them together. However protons will repel each other with their mutual positive charge.

5. Carbon Isotopes Isotope Half – life Carbon – 9 0.1265 s Carbon – 10
20.38 min
Carbon – 12
Stable
Carbon – 13
Carbon – 14
5715 y
Carbon – 15
2.449 s
Carbon – 16
0.75 s
How long does it take 400 g of each isotope to decay to less than 1 mg?

6. Geiger Counter Demos Sample Counts per Minute Reason Humans
NaCl vs KCl
Smoke Detector
Old Fashioned Lantern Mantle
Old Glow in the Dark Clock
Uranium Ore

7. Becquerel/Curries
Becquerel – First observed photographic evidence of radioactivity
Curie – Discovered radioactive elements of radium and polonium
Curie – made gift of 1 gram of Radium to President Truman to help fight cancer.

8. Rutherford’s Discovery of Alpha, Beta & Gamma Radiation

9. Rutherford & Radiation
Discovered alpha, beta & gamma radiation using a magnetic field.

10. Blocked by 1ft of concrete or few inches of lead
Radioactivity
Types of
Radiation
Alpha
Beta
Gamma
Symbol
a (He)
b (e-) g
Mass
4 amu
1/1837 amu
0 amu
Charge +2 -1
0 (movie)
Composition
2 protons,
2 neutrons
1 electron
High energy photon
Penetration
Blocked by paper
Sheet metal
Blocked by 1ft of concrete or few inches of lead

11. Radioactivity Alpha – large Beta – much smaller Gamma – no mass
Relatively slow
Beta – much smaller
Relative fast
Gamma – no mass
Pure energy
Travels at the
Speed of light

12. Alpha Radiation
The unstable nucleus simultaneously ejects two neutrons and two protons, which correspond to a helium nucleus. 
The emission of gamma photons is a secondary reaction that occurs a few thousandths of a second after the disintegration.

13. Alpha Emission
263 Sg
106 4 He 2
259 Rf
104 +

14. Beta Emission The unstable nucleus ejects an electron.
The emission of gamma photons is a secondary reaction that occurs a few thousandths of a second after the disintegration

15. Beta Emission
A neutron disintegrates, ejects an electron and another proton is left over. A gamma ray is also released. 14 C 6 e -1 14 N 7 g + +

16. Gamma Radiation involves high energy waves that don’t change the identity of the nucleus

17. Nuclear Reactions Radioactivity results from changes in atomic nuclei.
Fission – splitting of a large nucleus into smaller pieces releases energy.
Fusion – small nuclei join to make a larger nucleus and release energy.
Energy is released when a small amount of mass converts to energy as E = mc2.
The atomic masses of isotopes deviate from whole numbers due to loss of mass from energy released as they fused.

18. Fusion of Hydrogen Isotopes
At high temperatures and pressures, 2 nuclei may collide and form a bigger nucleus.
This example produces helium and a stray neutron.
Stars are fueled by the energy released by fusion which also builds atoms of increasing sizes in their cores.

19. Fission of Uranium A neutron splits the nucleus.
The fragments include:
2 different smaller atoms,
3 more neutrons.
The 3 neutrons can split more atoms.
If every fission splits 3 more atoms, the reaction will multiply out of control!

20. Nuclear Chain Reaction

21. Nuclear Equations Styrofoam Demos
Alpha Decay – releases a helium nucleus.
Beta Decay – a neutron converts to a proton and releases an electron.
Assignment: Uranium Decay Series

22. Nuclear Warheads

23. Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster

24. Nuclear Equations
Alpha (a) Decay – releases 2 protons & 2 neutrons - a helium nucleus.
Beta (b) Decay – a neutron converts to a proton and releases an electron. 4 He 2 e -1

25. Uranium Decay Series

26. Uranium Decay Series U238 alpha - HL 4.468e9y Th234 beta – HL 24.10d
Pa234 beta – HL 6.70h
U234 alpha – HL 245,500y
Th230 alpha – HL 75,380y
Ra226 alpha – HL1600y
Rn222 alpha – HL d
Po218 alpha – HL 3.10m
Pb214 beta – HL 26.8m
Bi214 beta – HL 19.9m
Po214 alpha – HL ms
Pb210 beta – HL 22.6y
Bi210 beta – HL 138d
Po210 alpha – HL 4.199m
Pb206 Stable!

27. Nuclear Equations Uranium 238 does alpha decay:
Mass numbers balance on both sides.
Atomic numbers balance on both sides
Thorium 234 then does beta decay:
238 U 92 4 He 2
234 Th 90 a  +
234 Th 90 e -1
234 Pa 91 b  +

28. Nuclear Equations Problems
U–238 does alpha decay in nuclear reactors.
Am-241 does alpha decay in smoke alarms.
Tc-98 does beta decay in medical exams.
C–14 does beta decay in carbon dating.
The Curies used Ra-226 which does alpha decay.
Co–60 does beta decay in food irradiation.
Th-232 does alpha decay in camp lanterns.
P-35 does beta decay in DNA studies
(Place isotopes activity in Outbox)

29. Nuclear Equations Quiz
Write the nuclear equation for the alpha decay of Iodine 131.
Write the nuclear equation for the beta decay of cobalt 60.

30. ½ Lives Activity Roll (minutes) Remaining Atoms Class Average
Obtain a set of “radioactive” blocks. Notice that each one has a mark on one side – either a, b or g.
Roll the collection of blocks onto your table. Each time you roll, remove any blocks that come up a, b or g.
Count and record the remaining blocks. Roll the remaining blocks repeatedly 20 times and complete the chart below.
Enter your group data into the excel file.
Make graphs of Time(minutes) Remaining Atoms for both individual & class averages. **Use “exponential” rather than “linear” trendlines.
Roll
(minutes)
Remaining Atoms
Class Average

31. ½ Lives Activity Questions
How do your lab pair results compare with the class average results?
Use the class average results and compute the 1st ½ life, 2nd ½ life, average ½ life.
What importance do ½ lives have to society?
(dating, medical uses, wastes)

32. ½ Lives Each radio-isotope decays at a characteristic rate.
The decay rate is determined by the time that it takes for ½ of the radio-isotope nuclei to break down by fission.
Each ½ life reduces the remaining number of radioactive atoms by ½.
The number remaining approaches but never reaches zero.
Example: Iodine 131 has a ½ life of 8 days. How much of 1.00 gram sample would remain after 24 days?

33. ½ Lives of Isotopes Isotope Half – life Radiation emitted Carbon – 14
5715 y
Beta
Potassium – 40
1.3e9 y
Beta, gamma
Radon – 222
3.8 d
Alpha, gamma
Radium – 226
1600 y
Iodine – 131
8.07 d
Thorium – 234
24 d
Uranium – 235
7.0e8 y
Uranium – 238
4.5e9 y

34. Solving ½ Life Problems
Masses:
STARTING MASS
Divided in ½ the # of half lives.
ending mass
Times:
Time for 1 half life (HL)
Total time elapsed (T)
T = HL*(#)
HL = T/#
# = T/HL
# of half
lives

35. ½ Life Example 1 – Iodine 131 has a ½ life of 8 days. How much of 1
½ Life Example 1 – Iodine 131 has a ½ life of 8 days. How much of 1.00 gram sample would remain after 24 days?
Times: ½ life = 8 days Total = 24 days 24days / 8days = 3 half lives
Masses: Start = 1.00 g End = ?unknown If 3 half lives occur, divide start by 2 3-times 1.00 g / 2 / 2 / 2 = .125 g

36. ½ Life Example 2: A 8.8mg sample of chromium-55 is analyzed after 15 min and found to contain 1.1mg remaining. What is the ½ life of Cr55?
Masses: Start = 8.8 mg End = 1.1mg Divide 4.4 by 2 until reaching /2 = /2 = /2 = – ½ lives occurred
Times: Total = 15 min ½ life = ? Unknown Divide 15 min by 3 – ½ lives 15min/3 HL = 5 min/1HL 5 min = 1 – ½ life

37. ½ Life Problems
If you have $1 million dollars and every 2 seconds it decreases by 1/2, how long will it take until you are penniless?
If a sample of a fossil mammoth has 1/8th the amount of carbon 14 as it would today, how old must the fossil be? (1/2L C14 = 5715 years.
If a rock contained 1.2 g of potassium 40 when it formed, how many grams remain after 4 billion years. (1/2L K40 = 1.3e9 y)
Asmt: P780 #1&2, P803 #24&25

38. More ½ Life Problems
4. If a sample of radioactive isotope has a half-life of 1 year, how much of the original sample will be left at the end of the second year? The third year? The fourth year?
5. The isotope cesium-137, which has a half-life of 30 years, is a product of nuclear power plants. How long will it take for this isotope to decay to about one-sixteenth its original amount?
Iodine-131 has a half-life of 8 days. What fraction of the original sample would remain at the end of 32 days?
The half-life of chromium-51 is 28 days. If the sample contained 510 grams, how much chromium would remain after 56 days? How much would remain after 1 year?

39. ½ Lives Quiz
1. A sample of a radioactive isotope with an original mass of 8.00g is observed for 30 days. After that time, 0.25g of the isotope remains. What is its half-life?
2. The starting mass of a radioactive isotope is 20.0g. The half-life period of this isotope is 2 days. The sample is observed for 14 days. What PERCENTAGE of the original amount remains after 14 days?

40. Health Physics Society
Q:What are some health effects of the element uranium?
A:The toxicity of uranium has been under study for over 50 years, including life-span studies in small animals. Depleted uranium and natural uranium both consist primarily of the uranium isotope 238U. They are only very weakly radioactive and are not hazardous radioactive toxicants, but uranium is a weak chemical poison that can seriously damage the kidneys at high blood concentrations. Virtually all of the observed or expected effects are from nephrotoxicity associated with deposition in the kidney tubules and glomeruli damage at high blood concentrations of uranium. The ionizing radiation doses from depleted and natural uranium are very small compared to potential toxic effects from uranium ions in the body (primarily damage to kidney tubules).