4 PICS, 2 WORDS

N U C L E A R C H E M I S T R Y
NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
CHEMISTRY FOR ENGINEERS
ENGR. CHARITY FETALSANA
 Introduction
Until now, you have studied chemical processes in which atoms share or transfer
electrons to form new compounds, leaving the atomic nuclei largely unaffected. In this
chapter, we examine some properties of the atomic nucleus and the changes that can occur
in atomic nuclei.
atomic
proton electron
number

+
p proton
-
e electron

n neutron

Mass
neutron + proton
number
 Review
proton electron neutron
14
C 6 6 8
6

238
U 92 92 146
92

60
Co 27 27 33
27
DEFINITION OF TERMS
NUCLEONS

A 16 17
X O O
Z 8 8
NUCLIDE

A 16 17
ISOTOPES X O O

element - A oxygen - 16 oxygen - 17

ALPHA PARTICLE POSITRON

0
4 e
He +1
2

BETA PARTICLE GAMMA RAY

0 0
γ
e 0
-1
neutron
1
n
0

proton
1
p
1
 Alpha Decay or Alpha Emission

Beta Decay or Beta Emission

Types of
Nuclear Positron Decay or Positron Emission
Reactions
Electron Capture
PRODUCT vs. REACTANT
A A A
A + B C
Z Z Z

A A A
C A + B
Z Z Z
 234
U decays via alpha emission

E
X
A
M
P
L
E
234
U decays via alpha emission

234 4 230
U He + Th
92 2 90
 234
U decays via alpha emission

E 234
U
X decays via beta emission

A
M
P
L
E
234
U decays via alpha emission

234 4 230
U He + Th
92 2 90

234
U decays via beta emission
234 0 234
U e + Np
92 -1 93
 234
U decays via alpha emission

E 234
U
X decays via beta emission

A 270
Po
M decays via positron
emission
P
L
E
270
Po decays via positron emission

270 0 270
U e + Bi
84 1 83
 234
U decays via alpha emission

E 234
U
X decays via beta emission

A 270
Po
M decays via positron
emission
P
L 7
Be decays via electron
E capture
270
Po decays via positron emission

270 0 207
U e + Bi
84 1 83

7
Be decays via electron capture
7 0 7
Be + e Li
4 -1 3
 Complete the following nuclear reactions

18 18 0
F O + e
9 8 1

26 0 26
Al + e Mg
13 -1 12

208 208 0
Au Hg + e
79 80 -1

218 4 214
Po He + Pb
84 2 82
NUCLEAR STABILITY
The nucleus of an atom occupies a tiny fraction of the volume of an atom and contains the
number of protons and neutrons that is characteristic of a given isotope.

Electrostatic repulsions would normally cause

the positively charged protons to repel each
other, but the nucleus does not fly apart
because of the strong nuclear force, an
extremely powerful but very short-range
attractive force between nucleons

All stable nuclei except the hydrogen-1 nucleus

(1H) contain at least one neutron to overcome
the electrostatic repulsion between protons.

As the number of protons in the nucleus

increases, the number of neutrons needed for a
stable nucleus increases even more rapidly.

Too many protons (or too few neutrons) in the

nucleus result in an imbalance between forces,
which leads to nuclear instability.
NUCLEAR STABILITY

number of neutrons

atomic number

All elements beyond bismuth are unstable and mostly undergo alpha decay.
NUCLEAR STABILITY

For light elements up to calcium, the stable isotopes have a ratio of

If there are more neutrons than protons, then beta decay is probable

If there are more protons than neutrons, then positron decay is probable

FOR IMMEDIATE ELEMENTS: NUMBER OF PROTONS AND NUMBER OF

NEUTRONS SHOULD BE EVEN NUMBERS (FOR IT TO BE STABLE)
Determine if the following isotopes are stable or unstable.
If unstable, propose a decay equation to make it stable.

42
K Check n/Z ratio
19
Z = 19

n = 42 - 19

n = 23

beta emission

42 0 42
K e + Ca
19 -1 20
234 4 230
U He + Th
92 2 90
still greater than 83 (bismuth)
230 4 226
Th He + Ra
90 2 88

226 4 222
Ra He + Rn
88 2 86

222 4 218
Rn He + Po
86 2 84

218 4 214
Po He + Pb
84 2 82
104 protons = 46
Pd
46
neutron = 104 - 46

n = 58

Since 46 and 58 are even numbers, therefore, it is stable.

NUCLEAR TRANSMUTATION is
defined as the conversion
from one element or isotope
to another. It can be done
either naturally or artificially.

NUCLEAR TRANSMUTATION
NATURAL TRANSMUTATION
14
Natural formation of C
6

14 1 14 1
N + n C+ H
7 0 6 1
 14
CARBON DATING C
6
Carbon-14 is unstable and undergoes radioactive decay with a half-life of

about 5,730 years (meaning that after 5,730 years half of the material will have

decayed to the stable isotope nitrogen-14). This decay means the amount of

carbon-14 in an object serves as a clock, showing the object’s age in a process

called “carbon dating.”

ARTIFICIAL TRANSMUTATION
Done by bombarding atoms with light particles such as, alpha particles,
neutrons, and other light nuclei

This process lead to the discovery of man-made elements (elements beyond

uranium)

244 48 289 1
Pu + Ca Fl + 3 n
94 20 114 0
EXAMPLES
16 1 4 13
O + H He + N
8 1 2 7

64 209 1 272
Ni + Bi n + Rg
28 83 0 111

27 4 1 30
Al + He n + P
13 2 0 15
Thank
you!