CHAPTER 22

Nuclear

Chemistry
I
II. Radioactive Decay
II

III (p. 705 - 712)

IV
 A. Types of Radiation
 Alpha particle (α)
4
 helium nucleus 2 He 2+ paper

 Beta particle (β-)

0 1-
 electron
-1 e lead
 Positron (β+) 0
 positron +1 e 1+

 Gamma (γ) concrete

 high-energy photon 0
 B. Nuclear Decay
 Alpha Emission
238
92 U→ 234
90Th + He 4
2

parent daughter alpha

nuclide nuclide particle
Numbers must balance!!
 B. Nuclear Decay
 Beta Emission
131
53 I→ 131
54 Xe + e 0
-1

electron
 Positron Emission
38
19 K→ 38
18 Ar + 0
+1 e
positron
 B. Nuclear Decay
 Electron Capture
106
47 Ag + e →0
-1
106
46 Pd
electron
 Gamma Emission
 Usually follows other types of decay.
 Transmutation
 One element becomes another.
 B. Nuclear Decay
 Why nuclides decay…
 need stable ratio of neutrons to protons

238
92 U→ 234
90 Th + He4
2
131
53 I→ 131
54 Xe + e 0
-1
38
19 K→ 38
18 Ar + 0
+1 e
106
47 Ag + e →0
-1
106
46 Pd
DECAY SERIES TRANSPARENCY
 C. Half-life
 Half-life (t½)
 Time required for half the atoms of a
radioactive nuclide to decay.
 Shorter half-life = less stable.
 C. Half-life

mf = m ( ) 1 n
i 2

mf: final mass

mi: initial mass
n: # of half-lives
 C. Half-life
 Fluorine-21 has a half-life of 5.0 seconds. If you start
with 25 g of fluorine-21, how many grams would remain
after 60.0 s?

GIVEN: WORK:
t½ = 5.0 s mf = mi (½)n
mi = 25 g mf = (25 g)(0.5)12
mf = ? mf = 0.0061 g
total time = 60.0 s
n = 60.0s ÷ 5.0s =12