Chemistry Nuclear Reactions

What are some aspects of nuclear reactions that are different from chemical reactions

atoms usually change their identity, reactions involve protons and neutrons, they are unaffected by temperature, they sometimes involve enormous energy changes which are accompanied by measurable changes in mass

where does 3/4th of radiation exposure come from?

background radiation

what is background radiation

radiation that is constanly present in our enviroment

where does 1/4th of radiation exposure come from?

medical irradiation, like X-rays

what can nuclear radiation do?

remove electrons from molecules to form ions in cells

what is ionizing radiation?

subatomic particles or electromagnetic waves, can ionize a particle and turn it in to an ion

what are free radicals

molecules that splinter into neutral fragments, can disrupt cellular processes

how does radiation affect cells?

it affects the fastest-growing cells and tissues, like white blood cells and bone marrow; can disrupt DNA, causing mutations

what is alpha decay

4/2 He, low penetrating power

what is beta decay

0/-1 e, moderate penetrating power

what is gamma decay

0/0, high energy photon; extremely high penetrating power

what is a positron emission

a particle equal in mass to an electron but with the opposite charge

what is an electron capture

a nucleus absorbes an electron from the inner shell

what is a half-life of a radioactive sample

the time required for one-half of the material to undergo radioactive decay; 1/2^n

what is Carbon-14 dating

the half-life of carbon-14 is 5,730 years. Caarbon-14 is formed in the upper atmosphere by the bombardment of ordinary nitrogen atoms by neurons from cosmic rays

what is Tritium dating?

tritum is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen. its half-life is 12.26 years and can be used for dating objects up to 100 years old

what is artificial transmutation

the bombardment of stable nuclei with alpha particles, neutrons, or other subatomic particles can cause new elements to form

what are tracers

traces the movement of isotopes to detect leaks in underground pipes and determine metabolic pathways

what is radiation therapy

nuclear radiation used to kill cancerous cells, patients often experience nausea and vomiting, which are early signs of radiation sickness

what are two ways to protect someone from radiation?

distance and sheilding

what is the mass-energy equation

E=mc²

what is binding energy

when protons and neutrons combine to form a nucleus and a small amount of mass is converted into energy

what is nuclear fission

when a larger nuclei splits into smaller nuclei

what can nuclear fission produce

a chain reaction of other nuclei in fission

what is radioactive fallout

radioactive isotopes produced in a nuclear bomb that are harmful for humans. some examples include Strontium-90 (bone) and Iodine-131 (thyroid)

what is heat from nuclear chain reactions used for?

the heat is used to make steam, which turns a turbine to produce electricity

what is nuclear fusion

a thermonuclear reaction in which smaller atomic nuclei are fused into larger nuclei; it is the principle reaction in the sun