Nuclear Decay

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Slide 1

Nuclear Decay

Slide 2

Nuclear Symbols

Element symbol

Mass number, A

(p+ + no)

Atomic number, Z

(number of p+)

Slide 3

Balancing Nuclear Equations

Areactants = Aproducts

Zreactants = Zproducts

235 + 1 = 142 + 91 + 3(1)

92 + 0 = 56 + 36 + 3(0)

Slide 4

Balancing Nuclear Equations #2

226 = 4 +

222

222

88 = 2 + _

86

86

Atomic number 86 is radon, Rn

Rn

Slide 5

Balancing Nuclear Equations #3

235 + 1 = 139 + 2(1) +

95

39

92 + 0 = 53 + 2(0) +

39

95

Atomic number 39 is yttrium, Y

Y

Slide 6

Alpha Decay

Alpha production (a):

an alpha particle is a

helium nucleus

Alpha decay is limited to heavy, radioactive

nuclei

Slide 7

Alpha Radiation

Limited to VERY large nucleii.

Slide 8

Beta Decay

Beta production (b):

A beta particle is an

electron ejected from

the nucleus

Beta emission converts a neutron to a proton

Slide 9

Beta Radiation

Converts a neutron into a proton.

Slide 10

Gamma Ray Production

Gamma ray production (g):

Gamma rays are high energy photons produced in association with other forms of decay.

Gamma rays are massless and do not, by themselves, change the nucleus

Slide 11

Gamma Ray Production

Gamma ray production (g):

Gamma rays are high energy photons produced in association with other forms of decay.

Gamma rays are massless and do not, by themselves, change the nucleus

Slide 12

Positron Production

Positron emission:

Positrons are the anti-particle of the electron

Positron emission converts a proton to a neutron

Slide 13

Electron Capture

Electron capture: (inner-orbital electron is captured by the nucleus)