Nuclear Chemistry Project
2015
Evaluation: This project is a quiz grade valued as follows:
Worksheets (4) turned in and complete 25 points each.
In addition, Nuclear Chemistry Questions will be on -the test taken at the end of the Unit on Periodic
Table.
Deadline:
The Nuclear Project must be turned in on December 1st(orange) 2nd (White) , (You may turn it in before
Thanksgiving Break for 5 bonus points! )
Purpose:
To explore and learn selected topics in nuclear chemistry on your own.
Objectives:
At the end of the nuclear take-home unit, the student is expected to
1. Describe the characteristics of alpha, beta and gamma radiation.
2. Describe radioactive decay process in terms of balanced nuclear equations.
3. Compare fission and fusion reactions.
Textbook Reference: Nuclear Chemistry pages 858-890
Assessment:
Worksheets Turned in for Quiz Grade; Test questions on Periodic Table Unit Exam
Activities:
A. Types of Radiation and Radioactive Decay
Video A is for Atom http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi-ItrJISQE
Powerpoint Notes: Types of radiation (powerpoint attached to teacher web page)
Animation http://www.mhhe.com/physsci/chemistry/essentialchemistry/flash/radioa7.swf
Worksheet1: Nuclear guided notes A is for Atom (print, complete, turn-in)
Worksheet2: Your nuclear exposure (print, complete, turn-in)
B. Balancing Nuclear Equations
Notes Sheet Attached.
On-line practice and Notes: Balancing Nuclear Equations
https://tb014.k12.sd.us/Chemistry/Neclear%20Reactions/pr1.html
Worksheet3: Balancing Nuclear Equations (print, complete, turn-in)
C. Fusion vs. Fission
On-line notes:
http://nuclear.duke-energy.com/2013/01/30/fission-vs-fusion-whats-the-difference/
http://chemwiki.ucdavis.edu/Physical_Chemistry/Nuclear_Chemistry/Fission_and_Fusion/Nu
clear_Fission_vs_Nuclear_Fusion
Worksheet 4: Fusion vs. Fission (print, complete, turn-in)
D. Want to Learn More? FYI View the Following web pages.
Radioactive Waste Disposal: An Environmental Perspective
http://www2.epa.gov/radiation/radioactive-waste-disposal-environmental-perspective
Radioisotopes in Medicine
http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf55.html
Irradiation and Food Safety
http://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm261680.htm
http://uw-food-irradiation.engr.wisc.edu/Facts.html
Nuclear Careers
http://www.nei.org/Careers-Education
Rules For Balancing Nuclear Equations:
1. Mass number is conserved in a nuclear change.
The sum of the mass numbers before the change must equal the sum of the
mass numbers after the change.
2. Electric charge is conserved in a nuclear change.
The total electric charge on subatomic particles and nuclei before and after the
change must be equal.
In other words:

The sum of the top numbers before and after the change must be equal.

The sum of the bottom numbers before and after the change must be equal.
4
7
N+
4
17
1
He →
O+ H
2
8
1
The equation above is "balanced". The total mass number (top #) is 18 on both sides
and the total charge (bottom #) is +9 on both sides. Changing the nucleus of an atom
often turns it into another element. For this reason, you rarely have the same chemical
symbols on both sides of balanced nuclear equations.
The seven nuclear particles you will have to know in order to Balance nuclear reactions
are:
Proton
1 p
1
Positron
Neutron
1 n
0
Alpha Particle
Electron
0 e
-1
Gamma Particle
Beta Particle
0 β
-1
o β
+1
4 α
2
0 γ
0
Balancing Nuclear Equations Worksheet-3
1. Write the balanced nuclear equation for the induced transmutation of
aluminum-27 into sodium-24 by neutron bombardment. An alpha particle is
released in the reaction.
2. Write the balanced nuclear equation for the alpha particle bombardment
of 239
94𝑃𝑢 . One of the reaction products is a neutron.
Write balanced equations for each of the following decay processes.
3. Alpha emission of
244
96𝐶𝑚
4. Positron emission of
5. Beta emission of
210
83𝐵𝑖
6. Electron capture by
7.
47
20𝐶𝑎
8.
240
95𝐴𝑚

0
−1𝛽
70
33𝐴𝑠
116
51𝑆𝑏
+ _____
+ _____ 
243
97𝐵𝑘
+
1
0𝑛
Background Radiation Worksheet -2
Radiation exposure in the US is most commonly expressed in units of rems and millirems. The rem estimates
the “biologically effective dose: of different types of ionizing radiation on living tissue. It takes into account
not only the actual amount of radiation energy absorbed per kilogram of tissue, but also the relative “ionizing
ability” of alpha, beta , and gamma radiation, x-rays, etc. (The ionizing ability of alpha radiation, for example, is
about 20 times greater than that of x-rays.) The average radiation dose per person in the US is about 360
millirems per year. Use the following worksheet to estimate your annual exposure to background radiation.
Source
A.
Exposure (mrem/yr)
Natural Radiation
Radon
Uranium and other elements in the ground
______200______
_______________
Gulf/Atlantic Coast, 16 mrem
Continental US, 30 mrem
Colorado Plateau, 63 mrem
Carbon-14 and potassium-40
_______40______
Houses made of brick, stone, or concrete (7 mrem)
_______________
Cosmic radiation (depends on elevation)
_______________
0-1000 ft., 26 mrem
1000-2000 ft., 31 mrem
2000-3000ft., 35 mrem
3000-4000ft., 41 mrem
4000-5000ft., 47 mrem
5000-6000ft., 52 mrem
B.
Artificial Radiation
X-rays
_______________
Dental, 1 mrem
Arm or leg, 1 mrem
Chest, 6 mrem
Heart, 20 mrem
Upper GI, 245 mrem
Nuclear Medicine
_______________
CAT Scan, 110 mrem
Radiographic imaging, 14 mrem
Total
Watching TV (2 mrem)
_______________
Working with a computer (1 mrem)
_______________
Air Travel (1 mrem per 2 hour flight)
_______________
___________________
Turn this worksheet over and draw the symbols for alpha, beta and gamma radiation. Describe their
penetrating power, energy and what materials might be used to stop those particles.
Nuclear Chemistry Independent Project
Worksheet 1- A is for Atom
1. Who created this video?
2. This video was made after what monumental nuclear event?
3. Where did scientists find a giant of unlimited power?
4. ________________ are the tiny _______________ ______________ that make up everything in the
world.
5. What is the atom’s binding force?
6. How do scientists identify an atom?
7. What does the word radioactive mean?
8. The radium nucleus threw off an __________ particle consisting of 2 _________ and 2
_____________. One of the protons was ______________ into the nitrogen nucleus, turning it to
_______________. This was _________________ ___________________________, man changing
the elements.
9. What’s another term used for particle accelerators?
10. What happened when a neutron was fired at a uranium nucleus?
11. What happens to the leftover “binding force” in nuclear fission?
12. Describe the second “miracle” described in the video.
13. What happened at Oakridge?
14. How can a nuclear reactor itself be a source of fuel?
15. What are some things that could run on nuclear power?
16. What are radioactive isotopes used for?
17. What propaganda or assumptions did you find in this video?
18. Why do you think that GE made this video at this particular point in history?
Worksheet 4: Fusion versus Fission
1. What subatomic particles involved in nuclear reactions?
2. Compare and contrast nuclear fission and nuclear fusion reactions in terms of the particles involved
and the changes they undergo.
.
3. Which nuclear process produces large amounts of energy?
a. Fission
b. Fusion
c. Both fission and fusion
d. Neither fission nor fusion
4. Fission is the process that __________ atomic nuclei.
a. Combines
b. Burns up
c. Stores
d. Splits
5. True or false. The fission process requires heavy atomic nuclei.
Questions 6-12 Label as Fusion or Fission
6. Large nuclei splitting into smaller ones __ ___
7. Occurs in uranium and plutonium ___ ___
8. Involves hydrogen nuclei joining to make helium __ __
9. Name a nuclear reaction that occurs within the sun: _ _____
10. Releases neutrons which can trigger the next event __ ___
11. Source of energy in a nuclear power station __ _
12. Always produces new nuclei which are radioactive ___ __
13. The minimum amount of a substance that can sustain a fission reaction _ __
14. Briefly describe what happens when you fire a neutron into a large amounts of U-235. Draw a
diagram.
15. Write the equations for nuclear fusion(Hydrogen) and nuclear fission (U-235).