Chemistry 1000, Lecture 2 - 3: Nuclear Chem.

Ordinary Chemical Reaction

Rearrangement of atoms without altering nuclei.

Nuclear Reaction

Change in atomic nuclei, resulting in a different element.

Nucleon

Protons and neutrons total in a nucleus.

Charge Conservation

Total charge (Z) remains constant in a nuclear reaction.

Proton (p)

Positively charged nucleon with mass ~1 u.

Neutron (n)

Neutral nucleon, slightly heavier than a proton.

Beta Particle (β)

Electron emitted in beta decay, with -1 charge.

Positron

Antimatter electron counterpart, carrying +1 charge.

Alpha Particle (α)

Helium-4 nucleus with 2 protons and 2 neutrons.

Fission

Nuclear reaction where a heavy nucleus splits into lighter nuclei.

Fusion

Nuclear reaction combining two light nuclei into a heavier one.

Radioactive Decay Series

Sequence of nuclear reactions until a stable nuclide forms.

Ionizing Radiation

Radiation that removes electrons from atoms, forming ions.

Alpha Radiation

Emission of alpha particles (+2 charge), most massive type.

Beta Radiation

Emission of beta particles (electrons) with -1 charge.

Gamma Radiation

High-energy electromagnetic radiation with no mass or charge.

Neutrino

Almost massless, neutral particle interacting weakly with matter.

Gray (Gy)

Absorbed dose unit: 1 Gy = 1 J/kg.

Sievert (Sv)

Equivalent dose unit, reflects biological damage from radiation.

Band of Stability

Region on neutron-to-proton ratio plot where stable nuclides lie.

Nuclear Binding Energy

Energy released when nucleons form a nucleus.

Binding Energy per Nucleon

Nuclear stability measure; binding energy divided by mass number (A).