Nuclear Chemistry

Chapter 23

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Atomic number (Z) = number of protons in nucleus

Mass number (A) = number of protons + number of neutrons
= atomic number (Z) + number of neutrons

Mass Number A
ZX
Element Symbol
Atomic Number

proton neutron electron positron  particle

-1e or -1 +1e or +1  or 42
1p 1H 1n 0 0 0 0 4He
1 or 1 0 2

A 1 1 0 0 4

Z 1 0 -1 +1 2

23.1
 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.
235 138 96
92 U + 10n 55 Cs + 37 Rb + 2 10n

235 + 1 = 138 + 96 + 2x1

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.
235 138 96
92 U + 10n 55 Cs + 37 Rb + 2 10n
92 + 0 = 55 + 37 + 2x0
23.1

212Podecays by alpha emission. Write the balanced

nuclear equation for the decay of 212Po.

alpha particle - 42He or 2

4

212Po 4He + AZX

84 2

212 = 4 + A A = 208

84 = 2 + Z Z = 82

212Po 4He + 208

84 2 82Pb

23.1
 23.1

Nuclear Stability and Radioactive Decay

Beta decay
14C
6
14N
7
+-10 +  Decrease # of neutrons by 1
19K
40 40Ca
20
+ -10 +  Increase # of protons by 1
1n
0
1p
1
+ -10 + 

Positron decay
11C
6
11B
5
++10 +  Increase # of neutrons by 1
19K
38 38Ar
18
++10 +  Decrease # of protons by 1
1p
1
1n
0
++10 + 

 and  have A = 0 and Z = 0

23.2
 Nuclear Stability and Radioactive Decay
Electron capture decay

18 Ar
37 + -10e 37Cl
17
+ Increase # of neutrons by 1
55Fe
26 + -10e 55Mn
25
+ Decrease # of protons by 1
1p
1 + -10e 1n
0
+
Alpha decay

Decrease # of neutrons by 2
212Po 4He + 208Pb
84 2 82
Decrease # of protons by 2

Spontaneous fission

252Cf 2125
49 In + 2 0n
1
98
23.2

n/p too large

beta decay

Y
n/p too small
positron decay or electron capture

23.2
 Nuclear Stability
• Certain numbers of neutrons and protons are extra stable
• n or p = 2, 8, 20, 50, 82 and 126
• Like extra stable numbers of electrons in noble gases
(e- = 2, 10, 18, 36, 54 and 86)
• Nuclei with even numbers of both protons and neutrons
are more stable than those with odd numbers of neutron
and protons
• All isotopes of the elements with atomic numbers higher
than 83 are radioactive
• All isotopes of Tc and Pm are radioactive

23.2

Nuclear binding energy (BE) is the energy required to break

up a nucleus into its component protons and neutrons.
BE + 199F 911p + 1010n
E = mc2
BE = 9 x (p mass) + 10 x (n mass) – 19F mass

BE (amu) = 9 x 1.007825 + 10 x 1.008665 – 18.9984

= 19.15708 amu – 18.9984 amu
= 0.1587 amu
1 amu = 1.49 x 10-10 J
BE = 2.37 x 10-11J

binding energy
binding energy per nucleon =
number of nucleons
2.37 x 10-11 J
= = 1.25 x 10-12 J
19 nucleons
23.2
Nuclear binding energy per nucleon vs Mass number

nuclear binding energy

nuclear stability
nucleon
23.2

Contoh soal

• Massa satu inti He adalah 4, 001506 sma. Hitung energi

ikat inti He dan energi ikat per nukleon. m proton =
1,007276 sma, m neutron = 1,008665 sma.

– Jawab: 4.54 x 1012 J dan 1,14 x 1012 J/nukleon.

– Artinya pembentukan satu atom He menghasilkan energi sebesar
4.54 x 1012 J, atau 2,73x1012 J/mol. (1 mol He = 4 gram)
– Cukup untuk menyalakan 1 booglamp 100W selama 900 tahun.
 Kinetics of Radioactive Decay
N daughter
N
rate = - rate = N
t
N
- = N
t
N = N0exp(-t) lnN = lnN0 - t
N = the number of atoms at time t

N0 = the number of atoms at time t = 0

 is the decay constant

ln2
 =
t½
23.3

Kinetics of Radioactive Decay

[N] = [N]0exp(-t) ln[N] = ln[N]0 - t

ln [N]
[N]

23.3
 Contoh soal

• Hitung keaktifan satu tablet 238PuO2 yang massanya 2,7 g.

Waktu paro 238Pu adalah 87.8 tahun = 2.77x109 detik. Mr
PuO2 = 270 g/mol).

Radiocarbon Dating
14N + 01n 14C + 11H
7 6

14C
6
14N
7
+ -10 +  t½ = 5730 years

Uranium-238 Dating
238U
92
206Pb
82 + 8 24 + 6-10 t½ = 4.51 x 109 years

23.3
 Exercises
• A sample of rock was found to contain 2.07 mol 40K dan
1.15 mol 40Ar. If we assume that all of the 40Ar came
from the decay of 40K, what is the age of the rock in years.
t1/2 = 1.3 109 years for 40K.
• A complex of cromium(III) with oxalate ion was prepared
from K251Cr2O7, having a spesific activity of 843 cpm/g,
and H214C2O4, having a spesific activity of 345 cpm/g. 51Cr
decays by electron capture with the emmision of gamma
radiation, whereas 14C is a pure beta emitter. A sample of
the complex was observed to give a gamma count of 165
cpm and a beta count of 83 cpm. From these data
determine the complex formula.

Nuclear Transmutation
14N
7 + 24 17O
8
+ 11p

13 Al
27 + 24 30P
15
+ 01n

14N
7 + 11p 11C
6
+ 42

Cyclotron Particle Accelerator

23.4
 Nuclear Transmutation

23.4

Nuclear Fission

235U + 01n 90Sr + 143

54Xe + 3 0n + Energy
1
92 38

Energy = [mass 235U + mass n – (mass 90Sr + mass 143Xe + 3 x mass n )] x c2

Energy = 3.3 x 10-11J per 235U

= 2.0 x 1013 J per mole 235U
Combustion of 1 ton of coal = 5 x 107 J
23.5
 Nuclear Fission
Representative fission reaction
235U + 01n 90Sr + 143
54Xe + 3 0n + Energy
1
92 38

23.5

Nuclear Fission
Nuclear chain reaction is a self-sustaining sequence of
nuclear fission reactions.
The minimum mass of fissionable material required to
generate a self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction is the
critical mass.

Non-critical

Critical

23.5
 The Fission Chain Reaction

Schematic Diagram of a Nuclear Reactor

23.5
 Nuclear Fission

35,000 tons SO2 Annual Waste Production

4.5 x 106 tons CO2

70 ft3
3.5 x 106 vitrified
ft3 ash waste

1,000 MW coal-fired 1,000 MW nuclear

power plant power plant
23.5

Nuclear Fission

Hazards of the
radioactivities in spent
fuel compared to
uranium ore

From “Science, Society and America’s Nuclear Waste,” DOE/RW-0361 TG 23.5

 Chemistry In Action: Nature’s Own Fission Reactor

Natural Uranium
0.7202 % U-235 99.2798% U-238

Measured at Oklo
0.7171 % U-235

Nuclear Fusion

Fusion Reaction Energy Released

1 H + 1H 1 H + 1H
2 2 3 1
6.3 x 10-13 J

1H
2 + 13H 2 He
4 + 10n 2.8 x 10-12 J
6Li + 12H 2 42He 3.6 x 10-12 J
3

Tokamak magnetic
plasma
confinement

23.6
Giant particle accelerator at Fermilab

Fermilab particle detector

 Radioisotopes in Medicine
• 1 out of every 3 hospital patients will undergo a nuclear
medicine procedure
• 24Na, t½ = 14.8 hr,  emitter, blood-flow tracer
• 131I, t½ = 14.8 hr,  emitter, thyroid gland activity
• 123I, t½ = 13.3 hr, ray emitter, brain imaging
• 18F, t½ = 1.8 hr,  emitter, positron emission tomography
• 99mTc, t½ = 6 hr, ray emitter, imaging agent

Brain images
with 123I-labeled
compound

23.7

Radioisotopes in Medicine
Research production of 99Mo
98Mo + 10n 99Mo
42 42

Commercial production of 99Mo

235U + 10n 99Mo + other fission products
92 42 Bone Scan with
99mTc

99Mo
42
99mTc
43 + -10 +  t½ = 66 hours

99mTc
43
99Tc
43 + -ray t½ = 6 hours

23.7
 Geiger-Müller Counter

23.7

Biological Effects of Radiation

Radiation absorbed dose (rad)
1 rad = 1 x 10-5 J/g of material
Roentgen equivalent for man (rem)
1 rem = 1 rad x Q Quality Factor
-ray = 1
=1
 = 20

23.8
 Chemistry In Action: Food Irradiation

Dosage Effect

Inhibits sprouting of potatoes, onions, garlics.

Up to 100 kilorad Inactivates trichinae in pork. Kills or prevents insects
from reproducing in grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Delays spoilage of meat poultry and fish. Reduces
100 – 1000 kilorads
salmonella. Extends shelf life of some fruit.
Sterilizes meat, poultry and fish. Kills insects and
1000 to 10,000 kilorads
microorganisms in spices and seasoning.