Nuclear Radiation Notes PDF

# Nuclear Reactions ## What is radioactive decay? Radioactive decay is the spontaneous breakdown of an atomic nucleus resulting in the release of energy and matter from the nucleus. Remember that a radioactive nucleus has unstable nuclei that do not have enough binding energy to hold the nucleus t...

# Nuclear Reactions ## What is radioactive decay? Radioactive decay is the spontaneous breakdown of an atomic nucleus resulting in the release of energy and matter from the nucleus. Remember that a radioactive nucleus has unstable nuclei that do not have enough binding energy to hold the nucleus together. Radioisotopes would like to be stable isotopes so they are constantly changing to try and stabilize. In the process, they will release energy and matter from their nuclei and often transform from one element into another. This process, called transmutation, is not radioactive decay as it is not a result of changes within the nucleus. The radioactive decay and transmutation process will continue with a new nucleus formed until a final nucleus is produced that is not radioactive. ## Alpha Decay Let's explore what happens to Uranium-238 during Alpha Decay. ### Thorium-234 Nucleus In alpha decay, an alpha particle composed of two protons and two neutrons are emitted from the nucleus. ## Beta Decay Here we have a Carbon-14 Nuclei about to undergo Beta Decay. ### Nitrogen-14 Nucleus In Beta Decay, a neutron from an atom will split into one positively charged proton and a negatively charged electron. ## Gamma Decay Finally, let's explore Gamma Decay. ### Uranium-238 Nucleus Alpha and Beta decay are almost always accompanied by Gamma Decay. In Gamma Decay, energy in the form of gamma radiation are emitted from the nucleus. Gamma rays are electromagnetic waves with very high frequency and energy. X-rays are artificially produced and emit similar rays to X-rays except they are produced naturally. ## Review 1. An unstable atom tries to reach a stable form. This change in matter is released from the nucleus. This spontaneous energy and matter change is called **radioactive decay**. 2. When there is a change in the nucleus and element changes into another, it is called **transmutation**. ## Two Principal Forms of Nuclear Radiation The energy and matter released during radioactive decay is called **nuclear radiation**, and it takes on the following two principle forms: 1. **Particulate radiation** is known as a particulate radiation which consists of actual subatomic particles being emitted from the nucleus of the atom. 2. **Electromagnetic radiation** is energy in wave form that possesses both electrical and magnetic characteristics. As you may have noted from the exercises on the previous page, the two types of particulate radiation (alpha and beta) were a result of alpha and beta decay. Electromagnetic radiation, on the other hand, is a result of gamma decay. ## Half-Life The half-life is the time taken for the radioactivity to reduce by half. ## Graphs It is possible to find out the half-life of a radioactive substance from a graph of the count rate against time. ## Useful Radiation Although radioactive decay can cause cancer and other harmful effects, it is used in many different applications. ## Industrial Applications Radioactive radiation is commonly used in the process industry for many applications. ## Working with Science <br/> ## Radioactive Decay ### Amibitious Alchemists ### Radioisotopes ### Types of Nuclear Decay #### Alpha Decay #### Beta Decay #### Gamma Decay ### Carbon Dating ### Half-life ### Nuclear Radiation #### Biological Effects of Radiation ##### Cell Death <br/> ### SciFile - Mutants aren't monsters - Deadly mines <br/> ### Properties of radiation #### Alpha Radiation #### Beta Radiation #### Gamma Radiation <br/> ## The Radioactive Forms of Nuclear Reactions The decay chain of a radioactive atom may be a very complex events, especially for those isotopes with more unstable nuclei. Many decay events may occur, for example, the decay chain that begins with uranium-238 leads to the creation of different isotopes after the decay of the original atom. Some daughter nuclides of an alpha decay (like uranium-238), result in helium atoms being created. In the example, Carbon-14 decays to Nitrogen-14 when a neutron from the atom is split into a proton and an electron. <br/> ---