Professional Documents
Culture Documents
CHEM 100 Nuclear Chemistry
CHEM 100 Nuclear Chemistry
0
1
4
2
208
82 Pb
0
1
0
1
137
56 Pb
0
1
78
32 Ge
stable: close to 1
- if the ratio is high, more neutrons are needed to counteract strong repulsions
to lower the ratio: particle emission
to increase the ratio: positron emission
Nuclear Binding Energy
energy required to break up a nucleus into its component protons and neutrons
Detecting Radiation
1.
2.
3.
4.
photographic detection
detection by fluorescence
cloud chambers
gas ionization counters
Natural Radioactivity
half-life time it takes for the concentration to be reduced to half the initial value
Radioactive Dating
1. carbon dating based on 14C to 12C ratio
2. U-238 - based on 206Pb to 238U ratio
1|P a g e
1. atomic bomb
2. nuclear reactors
a. light water reactors used U3O8
b. heavy water reactors
c. breeder reactors
3. hazards
a. nuclear fuel and wastes are radioactive
b. waste disposal
c. leakage/ explosion : meltdown/accident risk
d. thermal pollution
e. potential for theft
Nuclear Fusion
advantage:
problem:
- how to hold the nuclei long enough at proper temp for fusion to occur;
- how to contain 100M C
2|P a g e