Nuclear chemistry

Radioactivity, radioactive
isotopes, nuclear energy,
radioactive decay

Name:Suprim Joshi
Class:12”I”
Roll no:022neb499
 Radioactivity, properties
The nucleus of an atom contains positive protons and neutral neutrons.
(except hydrogen). The stability of the nucleus depends on the ratio
of neutrons to protons.
Radioactive emission of alpha or beta radiation changes this ratio.

There are 3 types of radiation, alpha , beta  and gamma .

Their properties can be studied using an electrical field.
+ 

- 
 Slow moving positively charged particle, attracted to the negative plate.

 Fast moving negatively charged particle, attracted to the positive plate.

 Electromagnetic radiation (travels at speed of light). No deflection
 Radioactivity, properties




Al Pb Concrete

 Alpha particles come from the nucleus of a radioactive atom, they consist
of 2 protons and 2 neutrons, hence have a 2+ charge. A few cm of air will stop
them.
 Beta particles come from the nucleus of a radioactive atom, they consist
of fast moving electrons hence have a 1- charge. A few meters of air and a
thin sheet of Al foil can stop them.

 Gamma waves come from the nucleus of a radioactive atom, they are
electromagnetic waves. Thick lead or concrete will absorb gamma rays.
Alpha radiation in more detail
Alpha radiation consists of helium nuclei, 4He 2+
2

When a radioactive isotope decays by alpha emission

the nucleus loses 2 protons (decreasing the atomic
number by 2) and two neutrons (decreasing the mass
number by 4).

232 228 4
Th
90 88
Ra + 2
He
Beta radiation in more detail
A beta particle is an electron. Since the nucleus does
not contain electrons, it is thought that a beta particle
is formed when a neutron splits up into a proton and an
electron.

The proton stays inside the nucleus, and the

electron is shot out of the nucleus as the  particle.

As the nucleus contain one less neutron and one more

proton the atomic number increases by one and the
mass number stays the same.

228 228 0
88
Th 89
Ac + -1
e
 Changes in the nucleus
How does the nucleus changes with radioactive decay?
Notice how the mass and atomic change.
A A-4 4 2+
Alpha () X Y + He
Z 2
Z-2
With an alpha particle 2 protons + 2 neutrons are emitted
A A
Beta () X Y + 0
e
Z Z+1 -1
With beta a neutron  proton (is gained) + electron

There are 55 radioisotopes in nature (radioactive isotopes).

Artificial radioactive isotopes are made inside nuclear
reactors.
 Radioactivity beta
1:1

Elements can exist in more than one form.

An isotope is an element with the same atomic alpha

number but a different mass number.

The stability of an element’s nucleus depends upon the

ratio of neutrons to protons, for smaller elements a
Neutron : proton ratio of about 1:1 is required for a stable
nucleus. A greater number of neutrons results in alpha
emission.
For larger (and heavier) atoms it is a neutron : proton ratio
of about 1.5 : 1 is needed to provide stability.

Background radiation:
The natural level of radioactivity in the environment.
 Radioactive Decay
A measure of how quickly a radioactive substances decays is called it’s
half life. Atomic nuclei are said to be unstable when they spontaneously
disintegrate. It is impossible to predict when a particular atom will
disintegrate. It is a random process.

The half life ( t1/2 ) of a radioactive isotope is the time taken for the
mass or activity of the isotope to halve by radioactive decay.
The half life is independent of mass, pressure, concentration
or the chemical state of the isotope

The half life of 14C is 5,730 years.

14 t 1/2 14 t 14 t 14
C 100g C 50g C 25g C 12.5g
1/2 1/2

6 6 6 6

100g of 14C would decay to 12.5g in 3 x t 1/2 ,

i.e. 5,730 x 3 years = 17,190 yrs

 Radioactive half life
100

Mass of Isotope Half-life

Radioactive Polonium-214 0.164 second
isotope Oxygen-15 2 minutes
Remaining Bismuth-212 60.5 minutes
/g 50
Sodium-24 15 hours
Iodine-131 8 days
Phosphorus-32 14.3 days
Cobalt-60 5.3 years
Carbon-14 5,730 years
Plutonium-239 24,110 years
0 100 200 300 400 Uranium-238 4.5 billion years
Time /s

The time it takes this radioactive isotope to reduce its mass by a half is 100 s.
i.e. The mass of the radioactive isotope has changed form 100 g to 50 g.

The half life is therefore 100 s.

 Radioactive Isotopes
Medical:
99Tc (Technetium) is used in tracers to detect brain tumours.
24Na allows doctors to follow the movement of Na ions in the kidneys.
15O is used in PET (Positron emission tomography) to monitor blood flow.

Radiotherapy uses gamma emitters such as 60Co to kill cancer cells.

The most frequently used radioisotopes for radioactive labelling in medical
and pharmaceutical domains are carbon-14, fluorine-18, hydrogen-3 (tritium),
iodine-131, sodium -24 and strontium-89. These radioisotopes are indirect  emitters,

Industrial:
241Am is an alpha emitter used in smoke detectors.

Gamma sources are used to sterilise foods and medical kits.

Gamma sources are used to detect leaks in pipes.
Beta sources can be used in automatic filling machines.

Chemical research
The radioactive isotopes can be used to trace the path of an element as it
passes through various steps from reactant to product. C-14 can be used as a
radioactive label. e.g. in photosynthesis.
 Nuclear Energy
Fission
In nuclear fission the nuclei of
235U
heavier elements break up into two
smaller lighter nuclei and release a
large output of energy.
239Pu and 235U are the only important

fissionable isotopes. 0.7% of natural

uranium contains 235U.
enrichment of uranium ore produces
2-3% 235U, sufficient for fission.

235 139 94 1
U Ba + Kr + 3 n
92 0
56 36

Energy 1010 kJ per mol

 Nuclear Energy
Nuclear Reactors
AGR uses C02 gas to transfer
heat from the reactor.
Other reactors use either
water (PWR) or liquid Na.

Some reactors use natural

U fuel, with 0.7% 235U,
Others need enriched U fuel,
containing 3 % 235U

http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/students/animated-pwr.html

1. Fuel rods, steel tubes containing either 235U or 235U oxide. The fission process
generates heat in these rods.
2.Moderators, graphite blocks which slow down neutrons enabling them to be
more easily captured by the uranium.
3. Control rods, contain boron, which absorbs neutrons. Lowering and raising these
rods controls the fission process.
 Reprocessing spent Nuclear Fuel
Reprocessing
After several years the fuel becomes less efficient and is replaced. This
spent fuel is a mixture of unused uranium, plutonium and waste fission products.
1. Plutonium is produced when 238U is combined with slow neutrons.

1 238 239 0
n + Pu + e
0 U 93 -1
92
Plutonium does not occur naturally but is capable of fission and is therefore used
as an alternative fuel. Fast travelling neutrons are needed, so a moderator is not
needed.
2. Spent fuel contains both short and long lived radioactive isotopes. The rods are
stored under water to allow them to cool and the short lived isotopes to decay.
The spent fuel is sent to Sellafield (reprocessing plant) where the other isotopes
are recovered.
3. Storing As yet, nobody has come up with a safe way of storing this long lived
radioactive waste. Ideas include, burial deep underground and encasing in glass,
 Nuclear Energy, Fusion
Nuclear fusion is the reverse of nuclear fusion. Two light nuclei are fused
together to produce a heavier nucleus.
Hydrogen-2(deuterium) and hydrogen-3(tritium), release
1.7x109 kJ when one mole of one fuses with the other.
2 3 4 1
1
H + 1
H 2
He + 0
n

This reaction takes place in the centre of stars, which

have sufficiently high temperatures and pressures to
allow this reaction to take place.

This reaction can eventually produce the heavier elements such as

oxygen, carbon and iron.

The hope for commercial fusion plants is some way off, but a prototype
reactor is being built in France.
Radioisotopes and carbon dating

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/nuclear/cardat.html

Neutrons from cosmic radiation collide with nitrogen and create a

proton and carbon-14 atoms.
1 14 14 1
n + N C + H
0 7 6 1
The half-life of 14 C is 5730 years.
 Radioisotopes and dating rocks

One of the important natural radioactive isotopes is 40K. It has a life

of 1.3 x 109 years. 0.012% of all K is made from this isotope.
The constant rate of change between 40K and 40Ar allows for the
K/Ar ratio to be used to determine the age of rocks.

Rocks can also be dated using 238U, which has a half life of 4.5x109 years.
238U decays to 234Th and then eventually to 206Pb.

The ratio of 238U to 206Pb can be used to dates the rock.

Dating materials less than 100 years old uses tritium, (formed by
cosmic radiation) a beta emitter with a half life of 12 years.
calculating the ratio of 1H to 3H is a measure of the age of under
ground water.
Thank you!