13: Radioactivity and Nuclear Chemistry — Read

From LibreTexts, under mixed, as the source states it; its equations are written in TeX, which the PDF shows typeset. This page at LibreTexts.

An Introductory Chemistry Libretexts Textmap organized around Tro's textbook
Introductory Chemistry

Template:HideTOC

In today’s society, the term radioactivity conjures up a variety of images:

Nuclear power plants producing hydrocarbon-free energy, but with potentially deadly by-products that are difficult to store safely.
Bombs with the capacity to use nuclear reactions that produce devastating explosions with horrible side effects on the earth as we know it, and on the surviving populations that inhabit it.
Medical technology that utilizes nuclear chemistry to peer inside living things to detect disease, and the power to irradiate tissues to potentially cure these diseases.
Fusion reactors that hold the promise of limitless energy with few toxic side products.

Radioactivity has a colorful history and clearly presents a variety of social and scientific dilemmas. In this chapter we will introduce the basic concepts of radioactivity, nuclear equations, and the processes involved in nuclear fission and nuclear fusion. But first we will revisit the inner workings of the atom, as it is important to understand these in order to understand nuclear chemistry

13.1: Properties of Atoms
You learned earlier how all matter in the universe is made out of tiny building blocks called atoms. All modern scientists accept the concept of the atom, but when the concept of the atom was first proposed about 2,500 years ago, ancient philosophers laughed at the idea. It has always been difficult to convince people of the existence of things that are too small to see. We will spend some time considering the evidence (observations) that convince scientists of the existence of atoms.
- 13.1.1: The Properties of Protons, Neutrons, and Electrons
- 13.1.2: Keeping Track of Subatomic Particles
13.2: Isotopes - When the Number of Neutrons Varies
All atoms of the same element have the same number of protons, but some may have different numbers of neutrons. For example, all carbon atoms have six protons, and most have six neutrons as well. But some carbon atoms have seven or eight neutrons instead of the usual six. Atoms of the same element that differ in their numbers of neutrons are called isotopes. Many isotopes occur naturally.
13.3: Atomic Mass - The Average Mass of an Element’s Atoms
In chemistry, we very rarely deal with only one isotope of an element. We use a mixture of the isotopes of an element in chemical reactions and other aspects of chemistry, because all of the isotopes of an element react in the same manner. That means that we rarely need to worry about the mass of a specific isotope, but instead need to know the average mass of the atoms of an element.
13.4: The Discovery of Radioactivity
Henri Becquerel, Marie Curie, and Pierre Curie shared the discovery of radioactivity.
13.5: Types of Radioactivity- Alpha, Beta, and Gamma Decay
The major types of radioactivity include alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma rays. Fission is a type of radioactivity in which large nuclei spontaneously break apart into smaller nuclei.
13.6: Balancing Nuclear Equations
The major types of radioactivity include alpha particles, beta particles, and gamma rays. Fission is a type of radioactivity in which large nuclei spontaneously break apart into smaller nuclei.
13.7: Natural Radioactivity and Half-Life
During natural radioactive decay, not all atoms of an element are instantaneously changed to atoms of another element. The decay process takes time and there is value in being able to express the rate at which a process occurs. A useful concept is half-life, which is the time required for half of the starting material to change or decay. Half-lives can be calculated from measurements on the change in mass of a nuclide and the time it takes to occur.
13.8: Applications of Nuclear Chemistry
13.E: Nuclear Chemistry (Exercises)
These are exercises and select solutions to accompany Chapter 15 of the "Beginning Chemistry" Textmap formulated around the Ball et al. textbook.

Template:HideTOC

Contributions & Attributions

This page was constructed from content via the following contributor(s) and edited (topically or extensively) by the LibreTexts development team to meet platform style, presentation, and quality:

Wikibooks

This page titled 13: Radioactivity and Nuclear Chemistry was last modified on Wed, 04 Jun 2025 17:34:27 GMT and is shared under a mixed license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Jamie MacArthur.

Contents

Text

Contributions & Attributions