Williamsburg High School for Architecture and Design Mr. Quinn and Ms. Tom 9/30/13
How do I balance natural decay equations?
4 = Y = mx + b 14 6 C → 14 7 N e
X A Z Mass Number Atomic Number Element Symbol Atomic number (Z) = number of protons in nucleus Mass number (A) = number of protons + number of neutrons = atomic number (Z) + number of neutrons A Z 1p1p 1 1H1H 1 or proton 1n1n 0 neutron 0e0e 00 or electron 0e0e +1 00 or positron 4 He 2 44 2 or particle
Balancing Nuclear Equations 1.Conserve mass number (A). The sum of protons plus neutrons in the products must equal the sum of protons plus neutrons in the reactants. 1n1n 0 U Cs Rb n1n = x1
2. Conserve atomic number (Z) or nuclear charge. The sum of nuclear charges in the products must equal the sum of nuclear charges in the reactants. 1n1n 0 U Cs Rb n1n = x0 Balancing Nuclear Equations
212 Po decays by alpha emission. Write the balanced nuclear equation for the decay of 212 Po. 4 He 2 44 2 or alpha particle Po 4 He + A X 84 2Z 212 = 4 + AA = = 2 + ZZ = Po 4 He Pb
How do I balance artificial transmutation equations?
II. Nuclear Transmutations Nuclear reactions that are induced in a way that nucleus is struck by a neutron or by another nucleus (nuclear bombardment) a.Positive ion bombardment - alpha particle is the most commonly used positive ion - uses accelerators Examples: 14 7 N He → 17 8 O H 9 4 Be He → 12 6 C n
Neutron bombardment - neutron is bombarded to a nucleus to form a new nucleus - most commonly used in the transmutation to form synthetic isotopes because neutron are neutral, they are not repelled by nucleus Example: Fe n → Fe → Co e II. Nuclear Transmutations
Transuranium elements -Element with atomic numbers above 92 -Produced using artificial transmutations, either by: a.alpha bombardment b.neutron bombardment c.bombardment from other nuclei Examples: a. b. 4 He 2 Pu Cm n1n 0 + 1n1n 0 U U e Pu Np e 14 N 7 U Es n1n c.