Nuclear Fusion/Fission
Nuclear Chemistry Basic
Type of Nuclear Decay
Effects of Nuclear Reactions
Half Decay Questions
100

The splitting apart of breaking up of U-235 is defined as what?

Nuclear Fission

100

What are the 3 types of radiation that we talked about in class?

Daily Double: What are alternative names for each type of radiation?

Alpha, beta, gamma

Helium, Electron, High Energy Light

100

In chemical reactions, electrons are responsible for the new products. What subatomic particles are at play in nuclear reactions?

All of them. Protons, neutrons, and electrons.


100

What is one beneficial use of radiation?

The ratio of uranium-238 to lead-206 in a mineral is used to determine 

A. age B. density C. solubility D. composition

 Which element is used for dating archaeological discoveries? A. carbon-12 B. carbon-13 C. carbon-14 D. carbon-15

Radiation therapy, radiotracing, carbon dating

238U to 206 Pb is age and C-14 is archaeological discoveries

100

Daily Double: As a sample of a radioactive element decays, its half-life A. decreases B. increases C. remains the same

 What is the total mass of a 10 gram sample of 42K that will remain unchanged after 12.4 hours? A. 2.5 g B. 5.0 g C. 7.5 g D. 10 g

C. Remains the same because half life is the time it takes for 50% of the radioactive isotope to decay therefore times does not change

B. 5 grams because only one half life occurred

We would divided the total time by the amount of time needed to achieve the number of half life.

12.4 hr /12.36 =1 half life

200

Two atoms that combine together and release a ton of energy in the process is defined as what?

Nuclear Fusion

200

List the types of decay in order of penetrating power (greatest to least).

Gamma, beta, alpha

200

11. Which equation represents nuclear disintegration resulting in release of a beta particle? 

A. 220Fr + 4He --> 224Ac   B. 239Pu --> 235U + 4He 

C. 32P + 0e --> 32Si D. 198Au --> 198Hg + 0

Explain your thinking: For Daily Double

What happens to the mass number in beta radiation? What happens to the atomic number in beta radiation?

D. 198Au --> 198Hg + 0

Mass # stays the same. Atomic Number Goes up by one.

200

What device is used to detect radiation?

Double the points if you can say the units: 

Hint : Video

A Geiger counter

 Units: Bequerels, Curie, micro-sieverts /hr & Roentgens /hr

200

27. An 80 milligram sample of a radioactive isotope decays to 5 milligrams in 32 days. What is the half-life of this element? 

A. 8 days B. 2 days C. 16 days D. 4 days

80--> 40 --> 20 --> 10 --> 5

4 half lives due to 4 arrows

Total time/time for 1 half life 

4 half lives/ 1 half life = 32 days / x days

Cross multiply = 4*x = 32* 1--> x= 32/4= 8 days


300

Both Fission and Fusion reactions release massive amounts of what in addition to their respective atomic nuclei?

Energy

300

Which group of nuclear emissions is listed in order of increasing charge? 

A. alpha particle, beta particle, gamma radiation 

B. gamma radiation, alpha particle, beta particle 

C. positron, alpha particle, neutron 

D. neutron, positron, alpha particle

Daily Double: if you can draw the symbolic notation with the masses & respective charges for an electron, gamma, positron, proton, alpha particle:

D. neutron, positron, alpha particle (0, +1, +2)

 0e (electrons) has charge of -1 , 0Y (gamma) has a charge of 0, 1n has a charge of 0,  0e (positron) has a charge of +1, 1P (Proton) has charge of +1, 4He (alpha particle) has charge of +2 ,

300

Which equation represents alpha decay? 

A. 116In --> 116Sn + X      B. 234Th --> 234Pa + X 

C. 38K  --> 38Ar + X         D. 222Rn --> 218Po + X

Daily Double- Explain your thinking: Describe why in alpha radiation the mass number decreases by 4 and the atomic number decreases by 2

D. 222Rn --> 218Po + X

X= 4He

Daily Double:

2 protons + 2 neutrons = Change in mass of 4

2 protons = Change in atomic number of 2

300

Cobalt-60 and iodine-131 are radioactive isotopes that are used in ....

A. dating geologic formations  B. industrial measurements 

C. medical procedures D. nuclear power 

Hint: These tracers are used in (daily double if you can tell me exactly what their used for)

C. Medical Procedures

Iodine used to treat hyperthyroidism & Cobalt-60 is used as a reactor in a medical device that fights rain tumors and blood vessel deformities

300

What is the number of hours required for potassium-42 to undergo 3 half-life periods? A. 6.2 hours B. 12.4 hours C. 24.8 hours D. 37.2 hours

1 Half-Life = 12.4 hours

2 Half-Life = 24.8 Hours

3 Half- Life = 37.2 Hours

400

What subatomic particle is primarily responsible for causing chain reactions involved in fission? 

Hint: Bullet

Neutrons! 

400

Transmutation is defined as...

Daily Double: Name the two types of transmutation

Which One is spontaneous?

The changing of a nucleus of one element into the nucleus of another element (by gaining or losing nucleons). This change always turns the unstable element into a more stable element. 

There are two types of transmutation. 

Natural vs Artificial Transmutation

400

12. Given the nuclear reaction:(Z) 60Co --> 0e+60Ni 

Given the reaction: (Y) 27Al + 4He --> 30P + 1n

This reaction is an example of:

 A. Fission B. fusion C. Artificial transmutation 

D. Natural transmutation 



(z) D. natural transmutation

(y) C. Artificial transmutation 

400

Radioisotopes that have medical use as diagnostic injections have characteristics of A. long half-lives and quick elimination from the body B. short half-lives and quick elimination from the body C. long half-lives and slow elimination from the body D. short half-lives and slow elimination from the body

Brain tumors can be located by using an isotope of A. carbon-14 B. iodine-131 C. technetium-99 D. uranium-238

Radioisotopes that have medical use as diagnostic injections have characteristics of B. short half-lives and quick elimination from the body

Brain tumors can be located by using an isotope of C. Technetium-99

400

A radioactive isotope has a half-life of 10 years. What fraction of the original mass will remain unchanged after 50 years? 

A. 1/2 B. 1/8 C. 1/16 D. 1/32

Total Time/Half-Life = # of Half Lives

50 years / 10 years =5 Half Life

(1/2)5 = 1/32

500

Name an advantage that fusion has over fission?

More energy is released, Fusion products are not radioactive, and or less dangerous no chain reaction (Any of these three)

500

Which equation represents a spontaneous nuclear decay? A. C + O2 --> CO2   B. H2CO3 --> CO2 + H2O C. 27Al + 4He --> 30P + 1n   D. 90Sr --> 0e + 90Y

Explain your thinking: Natural and Artificial Transmutation difference

(Hint: How many reactants?)

D) 90Sr --> 0e + 90Y

Natural Transmutation Begins with one unstable nucleus that spontaneously decays. These reactions always have ONE REACTANT. 

Artificial Transmutation is caused by bombarding a stable nucleus with high energy particles. These reactions always have TWO REACTANTS.

500

Daily Double: Part 1: Which fields are used in accelerators to speed up charged particles? 

A. magnetic fields, only 

B. electric fields, only 

C. magnetic and electric fields 

D. magnetic and gravitational fields

Part 2: In which list can all particles be accelerated by an electric field? 

A. alpha particles, beta particles, and neutrons 

B. alpha particles, beta particles, and protons 

C. alpha particles, protons, and neutrons 

D. beta particles, protons, and neutrons

C. magnetic and electric fields

B. alpha particles, beta particles, and protons 

because they all have charge

500

What is a nucleon?

Explain why in beta radiation the mass number changes by 0 and the atomic number increases by 1

Subatomic Particles that reside in the nucleus such as protons and neutrons

Neutron gets changed into a proton and an electron. Proton mass = neutron mass so it doesn't change, but atomic number does change because protons increased.

500

Which of the following 10-grain samples of radioisotope will decay to the greatest extent and least in 28 days? 

A. 32P B. 85Kr C. 220Fr D. 131I

You need reword this question it asking which element has the shortest half or most cycles since

 220Fr = 27.4 seconds it would 

32P = 14.28 days 

B. 85Kr = 10.73 years 

D. 131I =8.02 days

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