Nuclear Reactions and Half-Life

Nuclear Reactions

• A nuclear reaction is a process in which the nucleus of an atom is altered
• Types of nuclear reactions:
  • Radioactive decay: spontaneous emission of radiation from an unstable nucleus
  • Nuclear fission: splitting of a heavy nucleus into two or more smaller nuclei
  • Nuclear fusion: combining of two or more light nuclei into a single, heavier nucleus

Half-life

• The half-life of a radioactive substance is the time it takes for half of the atoms to decay
• Half-life is a constant for a given radioactive substance
• Half-life is related to the decay rate of a substance: faster decay rate = shorter half-life

Radioactive Decay

• Radioactive decay is the process by which an unstable nucleus loses energy and stability
• Decay modes:
  • Alpha decay: emission of an alpha particle (2 protons and 2 neutrons)
  • Beta decay: emission of a beta particle (electron or positron)
  • Gamma decay: emission of a gamma ray (high-energy photon)
• Radioactive decay is a random process, but the rate of decay is constant for a given substance

Types of Radiation

• Ionizing radiation: radiation with enough energy to remove tightly bound electrons from atoms
• Non-ionizing radiation: radiation with insufficient energy to remove electrons
• Types of ionizing radiation:
  • Alpha radiation: alpha particles
  • Beta radiation: beta particles
  • Gamma radiation: gamma rays
  • X-rays: high-energy electromagnetic radiation

Ionizing Radiation

• Ionizing radiation has enough energy to break chemical bonds and cause damage to living tissue
• Effects of ionizing radiation on living organisms:
  • Genetic mutations
  • Cancer
  • Radiation sickness
• Ionizing radiation is used in:
  • Medical treatments (cancer therapy)
  • Industrial applications (sterilization, food irradiation)
  • Scientific research

Nuclear Fission

• Nuclear fission is the process by which a heavy nucleus splits into two or more smaller nuclei
• Fission releases a large amount of energy and is the principle behind nuclear power plants
• Fission can be induced by:
  • Neutron bombardment
  • High-energy particle collisions

Nuclear Fusion

• Nuclear fusion is the process by which two or more light nuclei combine to form a single, heavier nucleus
• Fusion releases a large amount of energy and is the principle behind the sun's energy output
• Fusion can be induced by:
  • High-temperature and high-pressure conditions
  • Particle accelerators

Nuclear Reactions

• Nuclear reactions involve changes to the nucleus of an atom
• Three main types of nuclear reactions:
  • Radioactive decay: spontaneous emission of radiation from unstable nuclei
  • Nuclear fission: splitting of heavy nuclei into smaller ones
  • Nuclear fusion: combining light nuclei into a single, heavier one

Half-life

• Half-life is the time it takes for half of the atoms in a radioactive substance to decay
• Half-life is a constant for a given substance and is related to the decay rate
• Faster decay rate = shorter half-life

Radioactive Decay

• Radioactive decay is a process where an unstable nucleus loses energy and stability
• Decay modes include:
  • Alpha decay: emission of alpha particles (2 protons and 2 neutrons)
  • Beta decay: emission of beta particles (electrons or positrons)
  • Gamma decay: emission of gamma rays (high-energy photons)
• Decay is a random process, but the rate of decay is constant for a given substance

Types of Radiation

• Ionizing radiation has enough energy to remove electrons from atoms
• Non-ionizing radiation lacks sufficient energy to remove electrons
• Types of ionizing radiation include:
  • Alpha radiation: alpha particles
  • Beta radiation: beta particles
  • Gamma radiation: gamma rays
  • X-rays: high-energy electromagnetic radiation

Effects of Ionizing Radiation

• Ionizing radiation can break chemical bonds and cause damage to living tissue
• Effects on living organisms include:
  • Genetic mutations
  • Cancer
  • Radiation sickness
• Ionizing radiation is used in:
  • Medical treatments (cancer therapy)
  • Industrial applications (sterilization, food irradiation)
  • Scientific research

Nuclear Fission

• Nuclear fission is the process of heavy nuclei splitting into smaller ones
• Fission releases a large amount of energy and is used in nuclear power plants
• Fission can be induced by:
  • Neutron bombardment
  • High-energy particle collisions

Nuclear Fusion

• Nuclear fusion is the process of light nuclei combining into a single, heavier one
• Fusion releases a large amount of energy and is the principle behind the sun's energy output
• Fusion can be induced by:
  • High-temperature and high-pressure conditions
  • Particle accelerators