B A C K G R O U N D I N F O

• How can nuclear energy affect society?
• Do the risks of nuclear energy outweigh the benefits?
• Is nuclear energy sustainable?

• Reactions occur due to interactions between valence electrons
– Resulting in the breaking and making of bonds

• Results in the formation of a new substance due to changes in the nucleus
– Remember the nucleus is made up of protons and neutrons (referred to as nucleons)
• Transformation of one element into a different isotope or a different element altogether
• Not affected by temperature, pressure, or presence of other atoms

• Late 1800s – Early 1900s  New Developments
– Discovery that Uranium emits radiation (Henry Becquerel)
– Amount of radiation emitted is proportional to amount of element present (Marie Curie)
– “Radioactive” substances = radiation-emitting (Curie)
– Radioactivity = a inherent property of certain ATOMS, as opposed to a chemical property of compounds (Curie)

• Ionizing Radiation - type of particle or electromagnetic radiation that carries enough energy per quantum to ionize or remove electrons from an atom or molecule.
– Why dangerous: when atoms in a living cell are ionized on of three things happens
• Cell dies
• Cell repairs itself
• Cell mutates and can become cancerous
• Non Ionizing Radiation - any type of electromagnetic radiation that does not carry enough energy per quantum (photon energy) to ionize atoms or molecules

• The nucleus is held together by the STRONG Nuclear force. Because the proton carries a positive charge, they naturally repel each other. The neutron is present to act as buffer and reduce the repulsive affects of the proton.
• There needs to be a specific ratio of neutrons to protons for stability.
– The larger the atom – the larger the ratio needed
• If ratio not met atom will be radioactive
• All atoms above atomic 84 are naturally radioactive