Radiation Chemistry

Chemistry Education Division Faculty of Teachers Training and Education Mulawarman University

Atomic Anatomy
Atoms
electrons (e-) protons (p+) neutrons (n)

Elementary Particle Properties

Particle Symbol Charge Weight Ratio (e-) proton p+ +1 1.007 amu heavy electron e-1 0.0005 amu light neutron n0 0 1.008 amu heavy Weight
1838 1 1840

1 Atomic Mass Unit (amu) = 1.66 x 10-24 grams

Isotopes
Identical Chemical Properties, Different Atomic Weight Difference = presence of number of neutrons in the nucleus

Hydrogen = 1.0079 amu ISOTOPE H Deuterium Tritium Constituents 1 proton 1 electron 1 proton 1 electron 1 neutron 1 proton 1 electron 2 neutrons Atomic Mass Occurrence 1.0070 amu 99.985 % 2.0141 amu 0.014 % 3.0220 amu 0.001 %

Isotope Numbers
Symbolic Lingo Hydrogen
1

1H

Dueterium
Tritium

H
H

2H

3H

ZX

X = Element Symbol Z = Atomic Number (periodictable, # protons) A = Isotope Number (# nucleons)

Isotope Designations
Hydrogen Helium-4 Uranium-235 neutrons neutron proton electron
1
1

H He
92

1 proton, 0 neutrons 2 protons, 2 neutrons 92 protons, 143

235

n 1 p 1 0 e -1
0

Radiation
Three types of Nuclear Radiation.
S N

Revealed by their deflection in a magnetic field as neutral, charged negative or charged positive.

Radioactive Particles
Alpha Ejection of 2 protons and 2 neutrons from an unstable nucleus. 42He = Beta Ejection of an electron from an unstable nucleus as part of the decay of a neutron.0-1e = Gamma Atomic nucleus transition, yielding high energy photons.

Nuclear Reactions
226
88

Ra

222

86

Rn + 42He

Note that the numbers all add-up (conservation of particles).

ZX

A nucleons 4 Z protons

Total particles in nucleus 226 = 222 +

Number of protons

88 = 86 + 2

Alpha Decay
Alpha
Parent
Daughter Radiation
226

=
226
88

2He

Ra
222
86

Radium
Rn Radon

He
222

56

88

Ra

Rn +

He

Most of the energy is with the lighter particle, in this case the alpha particle.

Beta Decay
Beta =
1
0n

-1e

0 e p + 1 -1

The decay of a neutron into a proton and electron.

Beta Decay
Beta =
1
0n

-1e

0 e p + 1 -1

The decay of a neutron into a proton and electron.

14
6C

14

0 e N + 7 -1

(Radioactive Carbon)

90

38

Sr

90

39

Y+

Half Life
The amount of time required for exactly 1/2 of the original (No) sample of parent atoms to decay into daughter products.

After one half life, you have 1/2 No parent atoms, and 1/2 No daughter atoms.

Half Life
The amount of time required for exactly 1/2 of the original sample of parent atoms to decay into daughter products.

After one half life, you have 1/2 No parent atoms, and 1/2 No daughter atoms. After two half lives, you have 1/4 No parent atoms, and 3/4 No daughter atoms.

Half Life
The amount of time required for exactly 1/2 of the original sample of parent atoms to decay into daughter products.

After one half life, you have 1/2 No parent atoms, and 1/2 No daughter atoms. After two half lives, you have 1/4 No parent atoms, and 3/4 No daughter atoms. After three half lives, you have 1/8 No parent atoms, and 7/8 No daughter atoms.

Radioactive Decay
If you start out with a sample of parent atoms (No), after some time there will be fewer because of radioactive decay into the daughter atoms.

Radioactive Carbon Dating

14

Radioactive Carbon Half-life = 5730 years There is a certain amount of 146C occurring naturally. Living things continually replenish this by ingesting say plants or drinking water with some 146C in them. When death occurs, no replenishment takes place and the 146C decays into 147N.
6 7

14

N+

By measuring the ratios of 146C and 147N, with the halflife value of 146C an accurate estimate of the age is obtained.
14 14 C(living) = e- t C(fossil) / 6 6

Gamma Radiation
Gamma E=hf
Very high energy photons are emitted from the nucleus.
Excess radiation emitted from an excited nucleus.
87
38

Sr*

87

38

Sr +

Excess radiation emitted as part of another process.

60
27

Co

60

28

Ni + +

Shielding
We can detect the radiation from a radioactive source. Say we get X counts/minute (cpm).

Geiger Counter

Shielding
We can shield the source with various materials to test their usefulness in protecting against the radiation.

Geiger Counter

Half Thickness
Half Thickness: The thickness of a material needed to cut the count rate by 1/2.
If a 4 inch thickness of lead, drops a count rate from 1000 cpm to 500 cpm, the half thickness must be 4 inches.

Half Thickness
Half Thickness: The thickness of a material needed to cut the count rate by 1/2. If 12 inches of wood, drops a count rate from 2000 cpm to 125 cpm, the half thickness must be 3 inches.
2000 0 1000 3 500 6 250 9 125 12

Shielding Efficiency

Cotton Fabric Wood Lead

s are the most penetrating type of radiation.

Fission Reaction
1
0

n + 23592U

236

92

U*

141

56

Ba + 9236Kr + 3 10n

Neutron Bombardment
1
0

n + 23592U 1 n 0

236

92

U*

141

56

Ba + 9236Kr + 3

Neutrons are fired at a uranium atom.

Unstable Nucleus
1
0

n + 23592U 1 n 0

236

92

U*

141

56

Ba + 9236Kr + 3

Neutrons are fired at a uranium atom. This excites the atomic nucleus. The addition of a neutron to the nucleus makes it an unstable isotope.

Fission
1
0

n + 23592U 1 n 0

236

92

U*

141

56

Ba + 9236Kr + 3

Neutrons are fired at a uranium atom. This excites the atomic nucleus. The addition of a neutron to the nucleus makes it an unstable isotope. The nucleus splits and decays by fission into products.

Fission
1
0

n + 23592U 1 n 0

236

92

U*

141

56

Ba + 9236Kr + 3

Note that the numbers add-up. (conservation of particles)

A
A

ZX
nucleons

235 + 1 = 236 = 141 + 92 + 3(1)

0 + 92 = 92 = 56 + 36 + 3(0)

protons

Reactor Core
A Fission Reactor
Arkansas Nuclear One

Uranium Fuel

Arkansas Nuclear One

Stellar Nuclear Fusion

Proton-Proton Chain
1H + 1H
1H
2H

+ e+ + (positron + neutrino)

+ 2H

3He

+
4He

(photon) + 1H + 1 H +

3He + 3He
Net effect:

4 H nuclei (protons) form 1 He nuclei (alpha) + photons

Energy Generation
E = m c2 mHe = 3.97 mH m = 0.03 mH

Four protons weigh more than one helium nucleus?! What happened to Conservation of Mass??!

Energy Generation
E = m c 2 mHe = 3.97 mH

m = 0.03 mH

Four protons weigh more than one helium nucleus?! What happened to Conservation of Mass??! Einstein says Mass can be converted into energy. E = m c2 = 6x1018 ergs/gram 1 gram of H

Power
E = m c2 = 6x1018 ergs/gram H 1 gram of

The human body requires 109 ergs/sec to live. 1 gram of hydrogen nuclei fused into helium nuclei will release enough energy to power a human for 200 years.

Solar Energy Generation

Each second the sun converts 600 million tons ofHydrogen 7000 Aircraft carriers And makes 596 million tons of Helium Yielding 4 million tons of Radiation 50 Aircraft carriers This takes place in the inner 10-20 % of our sun, each second of every day for 10 billion years.

Nuclear Energy Generation

Hydrogen

Binding Energy/nucleon

Uranium

Iron

Atomic Mass Number