Science and the Aftermath of

Fukushima Nuclear Plant Accident

Pre-seminar Material

Speaker : Prof. Wing Hong CHAN

Hong Kong Baptist University
 Curriculum Link
The seminar builds on knowledge learnt in the
DSE curriculum:
•Chemistry: Topic II
•Combined Science(Chemistry): Topic II
 Radiation from Radioactive
Isotopes
• There are three types of radiation emitted by
radioactive isotopes. They are alpha (a), beta
(b), and gamma (g) radiation.
(−) (+)
g

α
β

Lead Radioactive
container source
 Three Types of Radiation
Radiation Alpha (a) Beta (b) Gamma (g)

Nature Helium nucleus Electron with high Photon with high

(a particle) energy energy
(b particle) (g radiation)
Relative Slow Medium Fast
Speed

Penetration A few cm of air A few cm of plastic Very high

Power A few mm of low density or a few mm of
materials metals

Material to stop A sheet of paper 6 mm of aluminum Several millimeters

radiation of lead

Examples of Uranium-238 Strontium-90 Caesium-137

Emitters (b particles are also
emitted)
 Symbols of Nuclides
• Conventionally, the symbol is used to
represent the nuclide X with atomic number Z
and mass number A.
• The symbols for various types of radiation or
particles are:

Particles / Radiation Symbols

alpha particle
beta particle
proton
neutron
gamma radiation g
 Nuclear Reactions: Radioactive Decay
• When a radioactive isotope emits an a- or
a b-particle, a nuclear reaction occurs.
• When an isotope undergoes a or b decay, it
changes to a different isotope of a different
element.

Example: a decay
mass no. = 238 sum of mass no. = 234 + 4 = 238

atomic no. = 92 sum of atomic no. = 90 +2 = 92

Emission of an a-particle from U-238 leads to the formation

of a new element thorium (Th).
 Example: b decay
mass no. = 234 sum of mass no. = 234 + 0 = 234

atomic no. = 90 Sum of atomic no. = 91 – 1 = 90

Emission of a b-particle from Th-234 leads to the formation

of a new element protactinium (Pa).

• Since g radiation has no mass and no charge,

the identity of the emitting element does not
change when g radiation is emitted.
 Half-life of a Radioactive Isotope
• Half-life is the time required for one-half of a given
quantity of a radioactive isotope to decay.
• Half-life of a radioactive decay is a constant.
Decay Curve for Iodine-131
100%
90%
80%
70% The half-life of iodine-131 is 8 days.
parent isotope

60%
Iodine-131

50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
0 8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64
Elapsed time /days
Half-life: 8 days
Half-life of Radioactive Isotopes
• Different radioactive isotopes have different
half-lives.
e.g. isotope Half-life
boron-9 8 x 10 -19 seconds
thorium-234 24 days
uranium-238 4.5 x 10 9 years
Nuclear Reactions: Nuclear Fission
• Nuclear fission is the breaking down of nuclei
into fragments. This is often induced by
bombarding heavy nuclei with neutrons.
 Fission of Uranium-235
235
= neutron 92
U

90 143
Sr Xe
38 54

238 X
92
U 235
92
U

X
90 143
Sr Xe
38 54

235 235
92
U U X
92

When the neutrons emitted hit other nuclei, another fission

occurs. As two or more neutrons are emitted from each ,
a nuclear chain reaction is initiated.
The seminar covers the following areas about nuclear
power:
1.Is nuclear energy green?
2.What are the different types of power stations?
3.What chemists have done to prevent the spread of
radioactive materials in the Fukushima incident ?
 Glossary (詞彙)
Nuclear Power Plant 核電站
Photon 光子
Biofuel 生物燃料
Nuclear fission 核裂變
Half-life 半衰期
Uranium 鈾
Plutonium 鈈
Pressurised light water reactor 增壓輕水反應堆
Breeder reactor 增殖反應堆
Superabsorbent polymer 超吸水性聚合物
Polyacrylate 聚丙烯酸酯
Sol-gel 溶膠凝膠
 EDB Glossary
• The link to EDB Glossary (Chinese/English) is
http://www.edb.gov.hk/tc/curriculum-
development/kla/science-edu/ref-and-
resources/glossary.html