1. Nuclear Decay and Transmutation Reactions

2. Rubric for Pros/Cons of Nuclear Power Presentation
Nuclear Unit Syllabus
What is a rubric?
The rubric contains the expectations for the end product – what areas will be included and a scoring range for each area
Rubric for Pros/Cons of Nuclear Power Presentation
Needs Improvement
Minimal Expectation
Exceeds Expectations
Time
Less than 5 min
Less than 10 min
At 10 min
Research
No outside research
1 additional source
2 additional sources
Material
No equations
Equations from lecture
Equations from lecture and outside sources
Pros/Cons
Polarized opinions only
Pros/Cons but not balanced
Balanced with final viewpoint and one additional question.

3. Rubric for Team Debates
Nuclear Unit Syllabus
What is a rubric?
The rubric contains the expectations for the end product – what areas will be included and a scoring range for each area
Rubric for Team Debates
Needs Improvement
Minimal Expectation
Exceeds Expectations
Time
Research
Material
Debate/ Counter
Polarized opinions/arguments only
Good arguments but not able to counter other team
Good balanced arguments with well thought out counter to other team

4. GLE
Describe Nuclear Stability and Decay
Describe Transmutation Reactions
Objective
Student will compare stable nuclei at varying atomic mass numbers and discuss how unstable nuclei could reach the stable configuration, name the different types of particles involved, and discuss naturally occurring transmutations and transmutations of the transuranium elements.

5. Stability vs. Decay Activity
3X5 Cards
Discuss why you think the configurations listed as stable are stable.
Discuss why the configuration listed as unstable is unstable
What would you do to get the unstable configuration to the stable configuration?

6. Stability vs. Decay
The stable nuclei on a neutron-versus-proton plot are located in a region called the band of stability. Unstable nuclei undergo spontaneous radioactive decay. The type of decay that occurs depends on the neutron-to-proton ratio of the unstable nucleus.

7. Stability and Decay

8. Types of Decay
Some nuclei have too many neutrons relative to the number of protons. These decay by turning a proton into a neutron and emitting a beta (electron) from the nucleus.

9. Types of Decay
Other nuclei are unstable because they have too few neutrons. These nuclei increase their stability by converting a proton to a neutron.

10. Types of Decay
A positron is a particle with the mass of an electron but a positive change. Its symbol is +1e0. A positron may be emitted as a proton changes to a neutron.

11. Types of Decay
All nuclei with atomic number greater than 83 are radioactive. They have both too many neutrons and protons to be stable. Most of them emit alpha particles.

12. Transmutation Reactions
Naturally occurring
Have already talked about several
Radioactive Decay
Another is the production of N-14 from naturally occurring C-14 (half life of 5715 years)

13. Transmutation Reactions
Earliest artificial transmutation was performed in 1919 by Ernest Rutherford by bombarding nitrogen gas with alpha particles.

14. Transmutation Reactions
Elements with Atomic Number above 92, the transuranium elements, all undergo transmutations. None of them occurs in nature. These elements have been synthesized in nuclear reactors and accelerators.

15. Homework 1. – Page 856, #’s 12 and 13. 3. – Page 851, #8
Write out the text example for he synthesis of the transuranium element Plutonium by transmutation.
Explain the process of transmutation; write one nuclear equation to illustrate your answer.