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Nuclear Chemistry

Chapter 23

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Atomic number (Z) = number of protons in nucleus
Mass number (A) = number of protons + number of neutrons
= atomic number (Z) + number of neutrons

Mass Number A
ZX
Element Symbol
Atomic Number

proton neutron electron positron a particle


1p 1H 1n 0e 0b 0e 0b 4He 4a
1 or 1 0 -1 or -1 +1 or +1 2 or 2

A 1 1 0 0 4

Z 1 0 -1 +1 2

23.1
Balancing Nuclear Equations

1. Conserve mass number (A).


The sum of protons plus neutrons in the products must equal
the sum of protons plus neutrons in the reactants.
235 138 96
92 U + 10n 55 Cs + 37 Rb + 2 10n

235 + 1 = 138 + 96 + 2x1

2. Conserve atomic number (Z) or nuclear charge.


The sum of nuclear charges in the products must equal the
sum of nuclear charges in the reactants.
235 138 96
92 U + 10n 55 Cs + 37 Rb + 2 10n
92 + 0 = 55 + 37 + 2x0
23.1
212Podecays by alpha emission. Write the balanced
nuclear equation for the decay of 212Po.

alpha particle - 42He or 2a


4

212Po 4He + AZX


84 2

212 = 4 + A A = 208

84 = 2 + Z Z = 82

212Po 4He + 208


84 2 82Pb

23.1
23.1
Nuclear Stability and Radioactive Decay

Beta decay
14C
6
14N
7
+-10b + n Decrease # of neutrons by 1
40K
19
40Ca
20
+ -10b + n Increase # of protons by 1
1n
0
1p
1
+ -10b + n

Positron decay
11C
6
11B
5
++10b + n Increase # of neutrons by 1
38
19K
38Ar
18
++10b + n Decrease # of protons by 1
1p
1
1n
0
++10b + n

n and n have A = 0 and Z = 0


23.2
Nuclear Stability and Radioactive Decay
Electron capture decay
37Ar
18 + -10e 37Cl
17
+n Increase # of neutrons by 1
55Fe
26 + -10e 55Mn
25
+n Decrease # of protons by 1
1p
1 + -10e 1n
0
+n
Alpha decay

Decrease # of neutrons by 2
212Po 4He + 208
84 2 82Pb
Decrease # of protons by 2

Spontaneous fission

252Cf 2125 In + 21n


98 49 0
23.2
n/p too large
beta decay

n/p too small


positron decay or electron capture

23.2
Nuclear Stability
• Certain numbers of neutrons and protons are extra stable
• n or p = 2, 8, 20, 50, 82 and 126
• Like extra stable numbers of electrons in noble gases
(e- = 2, 10, 18, 36, 54 and 86)
• Nuclei with even numbers of both protons and neutrons
are more stable than those with odd numbers of neutron
and protons
• All isotopes of the elements with atomic numbers higher
than 83 are radioactive
• All isotopes of Tc and Pm are radioactive

23.2
Nuclear binding energy (BE) is the energy required to break
up a nucleus into its component protons and neutrons.
BE + 199F 911p + 1010n
E = mc2
BE = 9 x (p mass) + 10 x (n mass) – 19F mass

BE (amu) = 9 x 1.007825 + 10 x 1.008665 – 18.9984

BE = 0.1587 amu 1 amu = 1.49 x 10-10 J


BE = 2.37 x 10-11J

binding energy
binding energy per nucleon =
number of nucleons
2.37 x 10-11 J
= = 1.25 x 10-12 J
19 nucleons
23.2
Nuclear binding energy per nucleon vs Mass number

nuclear binding energy


nuclear stability
nucleon
23.2
Kinetics of Radioactive Decay
N daughter
DN
rate = - rate = lN
Dt
DN
- = lN
Dt
N = N0exp(-lt) lnN = lnN0 - lt
N = the number of atoms at time t

N0 = the number of atoms at time t = 0

l is the decay constant

ln2
l =

23.3
Kinetics of Radioactive Decay

[N] = [N]0exp(-lt) ln[N] = ln[N]0 - lt

ln [N]
[N]

23.3
Radiocarbon Dating
14N + 01n 14C + 11H
7 6

14C
6
14N
7
+ -10b + n t½ = 5730 years

Uranium-238 Dating
238U
92
206Pb
82 + 8 24a + 6-10b t½ = 4.51 x 109 years

23.3
Nuclear Transmutation
14N
7 + 24a 17O
8
+ 11p

27Al
13 + 24a 30P
15
+ 01n

14N
7 + 11p 11C
6
+ 42a

Cyclotron Particle Accelerator

23.4
Nuclear Transmutation

23.4
Nuclear Fission

235U + 01n 90Sr + 143 Xe + 31n + Energy


92 38 54 0

Energy = [mass 235U + mass n – (mass 90Sr + mass 143Xe + 3 x mass n )] x c2

Energy = 3.3 x 10-11J per 235U


= 2.0 x 1013 J per mole 235U
Combustion of 1 ton of coal = 5 x 107 J
23.5
Nuclear Fission
Representative fission reaction
235U + 01n 90Sr + 143 Xe + 31n + Energy
92 38 54 0

23.5
Nuclear Fission
Nuclear chain reaction is a self-sustaining sequence of
nuclear fission reactions.
The minimum mass of fissionable material required to
generate a self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction is the
critical mass.

Non-critical

Critical

23.5
Schematic Diagram of a Nuclear Reactor

23.5
Nuclear Fission

35,000 tons SO2 Annual Waste Production


4.5 x 106 tons CO2

70 ft3
3.5 x 106 vitrified
ft3 ash waste

1,000 MW coal-fired 1,000 MW nuclear


power plant power plant
23.5
Nuclear Fission

Hazards of the
radioactivities in spent
fuel compared to
uranium ore

From “Science, Society and America’s Nuclear Waste,” DOE/RW-0361 TG 23.5


Chemistry In Action: Nature’s Own Fission Reactor

Natural Uranium
0.7202 % U-235 99.2798% U-238

Measured at Oklo
0.7171 % U-235
Nuclear Fusion

Fusion Reaction Energy Released


2 2 3 1
1 H + 1H 1 H + 1H 6.3 x 10-13 J
2H
1 + 13H 4He
2 + 10n 2.8 x 10-12 J
6Li + 12H 2 4He 3.6 x 10-12 J
3 2

Tokamak magnetic
plasma
confinement

23.6
Radioisotopes in Medicine
• 1 out of every 3 hospital patients will undergo a nuclear
medicine procedure
• 24Na, t½ = 14.8 hr, b emitter, blood-flow tracer
• 131I, t½ = 14.8 hr, b emitter, thyroid gland activity
• 123I, t½ = 13.3 hr, g-ray emitter, brain imaging
• 18F, t½ = 1.8 hr, b+ emitter, positron emission tomography
• 99mTc, t½ = 6 hr, g-ray emitter, imaging agent

Brain images
with 123I-labeled
compound

23.7
Radioisotopes in Medicine
Research production of 99Mo
98Mo + 10n 99Mo
42 42

Commercial production of 99Mo


235U + 10n 99Mo + other fission products
92 42 Bone Scan with
99mTc

99Mo
42
99mTc
43 + -10b + n t½ = 66 hours

99mTc
43
99Tc
43 + g-ray t½ = 6 hours

23.7
Geiger-Müller Counter

23.7
Biological Effects of Radiation
Radiation absorbed dose (rad)
1 rad = 1 x 10-5 J/g of material
Roentgen equivalent for man (rem)
1 rem = 1 rad x Q Quality Factor
g-ray = 1
b=1
a = 20

23.8
Chemistry In Action: Food Irradiation

Dosage Effect

Inhibits sprouting of potatoes, onions, garlics.


Up to 100 kilorad Inactivates trichinae in pork. Kills or prevents insects
from reproducing in grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Delays spoilage of meat poultry and fish. Reduces
100 – 1000 kilorads
salmonella. Extends shelf life of some fruit.
Sterilizes meat, poultry and fish. Kills insects and
1000 to 10,000 kilorads
microorganisms in spices and seasoning.

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