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NUCLEAR

 CHEMISTRY  
 
• Chemical  reactions  form  bonds  by  gaining,  losing,  or  sharing  _________________.    
The  atomic  number,  or  number  of  _____________,  always  stays  the  same.    For  
example,  aluminum  always  remains  aluminum  with  its  _____  protons.  
 
• NUCLEAR  reactions  involve  _____________  changes  in  atoms.    Atoms  that  are  
radioactive  (unstable  ratio  of  protons  and  neutrons)  spontaneously  change  to  
produce  an  atom  of  a  different  ______________  (one  with  a  different  number  of  
protons),  and  emitted  particle,  and  released  energy.  
 
• There  are  three  types  of  nuclear  radiation:    
Nuclear  Radiation  Can  be  stopped  by  Penetrating  power   What  is  it   Symbol     Energy    
Alpha  particle   Blocked  by   weak       Low  
 paper  
Beta  particle       electron      

Gamma  ray       High  energy                    0γ   High  


0  
strong   photons  
 
NUCLEAR  FUSION:  is  a  type  of  nuclear  reaction  in  which  two  nuclei  with  low  
masses  fuse  together  to  form  one  nucleus  with  a  larger  mass  and  release  large  
amounts  of  energy.    
 
Fusion reactions (like the one to the left)
 
are constantly occurring on the surface
 
of the sun.
 
  FYI: All elements larger than helium are formed

  through the process of nuclear fusion!

 
NUCLEAR  FISSION:  is  the  process  of  splitting  an  atom  into  two  nuclei  with  
smaller  masses.  This  occurs  in  nuclear  power  plants  to  produce  massive  
amounts  of  energy.  

 
NUCLEAR  DECAY  
• Nuclear  reactions  occur  because  the  nuclei  are  trying  to  become  more  
stable.  An  uneven  number  of  _____________  and  ______________  cause  an  
unstable  nucleus.  
 
• Any  element  larger  than  atomic  number  _____  (lead)  goes  through  
nuclear  decay.  There  are  many  smaller  isotopes  like  carbon-­‐14  that  go  
through  nuclear  decay  as  well.    
 
• Carbon  -­‐14  is  used  for  dating  organic  materials  like  
_____________.  The  half-­‐life  of  carbon-­‐14  is  5730  yrs.  Using  
this  number  they  can  tell  how  long  ago  an  organism  
lived.  
 
 
• Uranium-­‐238  is  another  common  isotope  that  radioactively  decays.  The  
energy  released  from  the  decay  of  uranium-­‐238  is  trapped  and  used  as  
energy  in  _________  _________  ________.  Uranium-­‐238  has  a  half-­‐life  of  4.46  
billion  years!  Polonium-­‐214  has  a  half-­‐life  of  only  163.7  microsec.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Pg 814 Figure 25-11 Isotopic Notatio
Name – Mass #

 
Like Uranium-2
The Mass # is shown at
the bottom of the graph

   
 
 
 
 
Nuclear  Reactions:  
 Find  Uranium-­238  in  the  top  right  corner.    It  decays  to  forms___________-­‐
____  (what  element  in  isotopic  notation)  and  releases  a(n)  ________  particle.      
 When  thorium-­‐234  decays,  it  forms  ___________-­‐_____  and  releases  a  _________  
particle.      
 When  Pa-­‐234  decays  it  forms  __________  and  releases  a  __________  particle.  
 Why  does  the  mass  number  change  when  U-­‐238  decays  to  form  Th-­‐234?  
 Why  does  it  form  Th?  
 Why  does  the  mass  number  stay  the  same  when  Th-­‐234  decays  into  Pa-­‐
234?  
 Why  does  Th  form  Pa?  
 
These  nuclear  reactions  can  be  represented  as  follows:  
U   Th        +             He           an  alpha  particle  was  released  

 
Th   Pa        +         e     a  beta  particle  was  released        

 
In  nuclear  reactions,  just  like  chemical  reaction,  mass  is  CONSERVED.    
However,  unlike  chemical  reactions,  new  elements  are  formed.  

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