Key Concepts in Nuclear Chemistry and Bonding

Transmutation

Change of one element into another atom.

Artificial Transmutation

Nucleus bombarded by high energy particles.

Spontaneous Decay

Nucleus releases particles without external influence.

Nuclear Fission

Splitting of an atomic nucleus into smaller parts.

Nuclear Fusion

Combining light nuclei to form heavier nuclei.

Energy Conversion

Mass lost converts to energy in reactions.

E=mc²

Einstein's equation relating mass and energy.

Radioactive Isotopes

Atoms with unstable nuclei emitting radiation.

Bright Line Spectrum

Light emitted when electrons drop energy levels.

Spectroscope

Instrument to observe bright line spectrum.

Valence Electrons

Outermost electrons affecting chemical properties.

Stable Atoms

Atoms with filled valence levels are stable.

Atomic Number

Number of protons in an atom's nucleus.

Isotopes

Atoms with same protons, different neutrons.

Average Atomic Mass

Weighted average of an element's isotopes.

Chemical Bond Formation

Exothermic process releasing energy.

Chemical Bond Breaking

Endothermic process requiring energy input.

Nuclear Reactions

Includes decay, fission, and fusion processes.

Radiation Risks

Biological exposure may cause poisoning or cancer.

Nuclear Power Uses

Includes medicine, dating, and industrial measurement.

Nuclear Stability

Depends on proton-neutron ratio in nucleus.

Stable Isotopes

Isotopes with a 1:1 proton-neutron ratio.

Half-Life

Time for half of an isotope to decay.

Lewis Structures

Diagrams showing electron arrangement in molecules.

Electronegativity

Atom's ability to attract electrons in bonds.

Ionic Compounds

Formed by metal and nonmetal reactions.

Covalent Compounds

Formed by nonmetal and nonmetal bonding.

Intermolecular Forces

Attractions between different particles forming solids/liquids.

Hydrogen Bonds

Strong IMF between hydrogen and electronegative atoms.

Physical Properties

Characteristics explained by chemical bonds and forces.

Pure Substance

Material with fixed composition and uniform properties.

Mixture

Combination of two or more substances, separable.

Homogeneous Mixture

Uniform mixture, also known as a solution.

Heterogeneous Mixture

Non-uniform mixture with distinct components.

Filtration

Process to separate solids from liquids.

Distillation

Separation based on boiling points of substances.

Element

Substance made of identical atomic number atoms.

Compound

Substance formed from atoms in fixed ratios.

Dalton's Model

Atoms of an element are identical and indivisible.

Rutherford Experiment

Demonstrated atoms are mostly empty space.

Bohr Model

Electrons orbit a small, dense, positively charged nucleus.

Wave-Mechanical Model

Modern atomic theory describing electron behavior.

Nucleus

Dense, positively charged center of an atom.

Electron Cloud

Region where electrons are likely found.

Orbitals

Areas with specific energy levels for electrons.

Protons

Positively charged particles in the nucleus.

Neutrons

Neutral particles found in the nucleus.

Electrons

Negatively charged particles orbiting the nucleus.

Atomic Mass Unit (amu)

1/12 the mass of a Carbon atom.

Ground State

Lowest energy state of electrons in an atom.

Excited State

Higher energy state after electron energy gain.

Chemical Compounds

Substances formed by bonded atoms.

Endothermic Process

Energy absorbed when breaking chemical bonds.

Exothermic Process

Energy released when forming chemical bonds.

Polar Substances

Dissolve in other polar substances only.

Non-Polar Substances

Dissolve in other non-polar substances only.

Stable Electron Configuration

Full valence level achieved through bonding.

Ionic Radius Change

Increases when gaining electrons, decreases when losing.