Nuclear Chemistry Lecture

These flashcards cover key concepts from the lecture on nuclear chemistry, including mass defect, binding energy, stability of nuclei, radioactive decay processes, and nuclear energy.

Why doesn’t the mass of a fluorine atom add up when all individual particles are summed up?

The mass defect occurs because some mass is converted to energy during the formation of the atom.

What is the mass defect?

The difference in mass between the total mass of the individual particles and the actual mass of the atom, due to energy released during formation.

What formula did Einstein develop to relate mass and energy?

E = mc^2, which shows how mass (in kg) gives rise to energy.

What is binding energy?

The energy required to break a nucleus apart into its individual nucleons.

What influences the stability of a nucleus?

The binding energy per nucleon; higher binding energy indicates a more stable nucleus.

What is the relationship between neutron count and nuclear stability?

Different elements require different neutron to proton ratios for stability, particularly as atomic number increases.

What happens during beta emission?

A neutron converts to a proton, releasing an electron (beta particle) in the process.

What is radioactive decay?

The breakdown of a nucleus, which can occur by various processes including alpha decay, beta decay, or electron capture.

What are the two main types of nuclear energy processes?

Fission and fusion.

What is nuclear fission?

The process of splitting a large nucleus into smaller ones, releasing significant amounts of energy.

What is nuclear fusion?

The process of combining smaller nuclei into larger nuclei, an example being the fusion that powers the sun.

What role do neutrons play in the nucleus?

They help increase nuclear stability by reducing the repulsion between protons.

How does alpha decay occur?

An alpha particle, consisting of 2 protons and 2 neutrons, is emitted from a large nucleus.