Ch. 5 Nuclear Chemistry

A set of flashcards focusing on key vocabulary and concepts from nuclear chemistry, covering processes, types of radiation, medical applications, and effects of radiation.

What is nuclear chemistry?

A subfield of chemistry that deals with radioactivity, nuclear processes, and transformations in the nuclei of atoms.

Define nuclear reaction.

A process in which the nucleus of an atom changes and can involve the splitting or combining of nuclei.

What is a radioisotope?

An isotope of an element that emits radiation, characterized by its mass number.

List the four types of radiation.

Alpha particles, beta particles, positrons, and gamma rays.

What happens during alpha decay?

A radioactive nucleus emits an alpha particle, decreasing its mass number by 4 and atomic number by 2.

What is beta decay?

A decay process where the mass number remains the same, and the atomic number increases by 1.

What is the half-life of a radioisotope?

The time required for the quantity of a radioactive substance to reduce to half its initial value.

What are some medical applications of radioactive isotopes?

They are used for imaging organs and treating various conditions, such as cancer.

How is radiation measured?

Radiation is measured in units such as Grays (Gy), Sieverts (Sv), or Rem.

What is a Geiger counter?

An instrument that detects alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma rays.

Describe the structure of an alpha particle.

An alpha particle consists of 2 protons and 2 neutrons, identical to a helium nucleus.

What is positron emission?

A process where a proton in a nucleus is converted into a neutron and a positron is emitted.

Explain nuclear fission.

A process whereby a large nucleus splits into smaller nuclei and releases energy, often initiated by neutron bombardment.

What triggers a nuclear chain reaction?

The fission of one U-235 atom produces neutrons that induce the fission of additional U-235 atoms.

What characterizes nuclear fusion?

The process of combining small nuclei to form larger nuclei at extremely high temperatures, releasing significant amounts of energy.

What are the biological effects of ionizing radiation?

It can produce unstable ions, cause chemical reactions, and damage sensitive cells, potentially leading to cancer.

Define the term 'dosimeter'.

A device worn to measure an individual's radiation exposure.