Nuclear Chemistry Review Guide

Mr. Janick 2025

Proton

mass of 1 AMU, charge of +1, and located in the nucleus. Composed of two up and one down quarks

Neutron

Mass of 1 AMU, charge of 0, located in the nucleus. composed of two doen and one up quark.

Electron

Mass of 0 AMU, charge of -1, located in the electron cloud. responsible for electricity

atomic number

number of protons

isotope

atoms of the same type with different numbers of neutrons.

mass number

protons plus neutrons

average atomic mass

the average of the atomic mass between all the isotopes of an element

neutral atom

an atom with an equal number of protons and electrons and will thereofre have a total charge of 0.

ion

and atom that has gained or lost electrons

cation

an atom that has lost electrons and now has a positive charge

anion

an atom that has gained electrons and now has a negative charge.

quarks and leptons

building blocks of matter, cannot be broken down further. Each category has 6 particles connected to eachother in pairs called generations.

Quarks

make up protons and nuetrons, held together by the strong nuclear force.

leptons

make up electrons, come in pairs of three generations that also change until they stabilize into the first generation, the electron and electron neutrino. held together by weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces.

pauli exclusion principle

particles that spin (like electrons) in the same pathway “orbitals” must have the opposite spin. otherwise it will move to a different orbital.

Quark generations

Generations 2 and three are unstable and rearrange until they stabilize by forming generation one, the upand down quarks.

up quarks

have a charge of +2/3

down quarks

have a charge of -1/3

electron neutrinos

particles without and electric charge.

Strong force

binds together the quarks and keeps the nucleaus intact. strongest force, but the range is limited to the distance of a nucleus.

electromagnetism

attraction between opposite charges and repulsion of like charges.

weak force

causes one particle to change into another, also known as radioactive decay

Gravity

Attraction between two objects mass, weakest force.

photons

carry electromagnetism, no mass but has spin.

Gluons

carry a strong nuclear force, binds quarks together, no mass but has spin.

W and Z bosons

carry the weak nuclear force

Higgs Boson

Known as the “God Particle,” interacts with particles to give them mass

Graviton

Theoretical particle, not discovered yet, connects mass to gravitational force.

nuclear decay

When weak nuclear force changes an unstable isotope.

ionizing radiation

strips electrons from opther substances and causes damage to DNA and cells

alpha particle

releases a positive charged helium-4 particle from the parent particle. the remaining daugther particle will have 2 less protons and 2 less nuetrons

Beta Particles

Splits a neutron into a proton and an electron. the lectron is released as ionizing radiation. the proton changes the substance becasue the jumber of protons has increased by one.

Gamma rays

Electromagnetic waves that carry large quantites of ionizing radiation. highest frequency and shortest wavelength and highest proton energy of the electromagnetic waves

radioactive nuetrons

nuetrons can be released by fission nuclear reactions

radioactive protons

protons can be released in particle accelerators.

Nuclear fission

the splitting of atoms which releases nuetrons which splits more atoms forming a chain reaction that releases a ot of energy. can acsue an atomic blast if it is left to complete its chain reaction.

Nuclear fusion

Merging lighter atoms to become one heavier atom.

3 mile island 1979

Pennsylvania, USA. Caused by a faulty nuclear secondary system and stuck open relief valve, resulted in a partial meltdown. radiation was caught by a containment building so no one was hurt.

Chernobyl 1986

Russian controlled nuclear power plant in Ukraine. Faulty test which has turned off saftey protocols.full meltdown, exposion and fire, worst diaster in historyReleased massive amounts of radiation all over Europe, city was abandoned and is now unlivable.

Fukushima, Japan 2011

An earthquake and a tsunami hit the power plant. resulted in electrical grid failure lost power to backup energy and emergency systems. could not cool the reactors and the containment of radiation failed after the shutdown. leaked large amounts of radiation into the pacific ocean, no direct fatalities.

atomic bombs

less powerful, 2400 tets since 1945, dropped at Hiroshima nd Nagasaki.

Nuclear weapons

more powerful, have only been used in testing

M.A.D

mutally assured destruction, if both sides kill everything nobody would use them, unless they could cripple the other in the first strike