Nuclear Chemistry Vocabulary

a general term for any type of energy that emanates or radiates outward in all directions

radiation moving at the speed of light, ranging from high-energy gamma rays to low energy radio waves; includes visible light

all the forms of electromagnetic radiation

radiation with sufficient energy to ionize atoms or molecules (high energy ER); damages DNA

radiation with insufficient energy to ionize atoms or molecules (lower energy ER)

studied radioactivity and completed much of the pioneering work on nuclear changes.
Won two Nobel Prizes (the first for discovering radioactivity; the second for discovering the radioactive elements of radium and polonium)

Involve Changes in Particles in an atom’s nucleus and thus cause a change in the atom itself

atoms of the same element having different numbers of neutrons and, there, a different mass number and atomic mass

(example) U-238

(example)14 C
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change in the identity of a nucleus because of a change in the number of its protons

an isotope with an unstable nucleus that undergoes radioactive decay

the spontaneous break-down of a nucleus into a slightly light nucleus, accompanied by the emission of nuclear radiation

particles or ER emitted from a nucleus during radioactive decay

helium nucleus (charge: +2); 2 protons and 2 neutrons bound together emitted from a radioactive nucleus

electron (charge: -); ejected at a high speed when a neutron changes into a proton and an electron

form of high-energy ER (no mass/no charge); often emitted during and simultaneous to, alpha or beta, radioactive decay

time needed for decay of one-half the atoms in a sample of radioactive material

nucleus is bombarded with alpha particles, protons, neutrons, or other particles

process in which a heavy nucleus splits to form medium-weight nuclei

in fission reactions, neutrons are emitted; these neutrons can split more nuclei and a chain reaction can occur

mass of fissionable material needed to sustain a nuclear chain reaction

the process in which light weight nuclei combine to form a heavier, more stable nucleus

the missing mass of a nuclear reaction that is converted to energy