Launch:10/8   Place last night’s homework on your desk

  Answer the following question:

1.  Write out the balanced equation for the alpha decay of Polonium-214.

4.  Which of the following correctly represents the alpha decay of Polonium-214?

Unit #3: Nuclear Processes

What is a nuclear reaction?

Mr. Heffner 10/8/09

What is a nuclear reaction?   Three types:

1. Radioactive decay

2. Fission

3. Fusion

What is a nuclear reaction?   Three types:

1. Radioactive decay

2. Fission

3. Fusion

1.What is radioactive decay?   When an unstable isotope emits a particle and

transforms into a more stable isotope.

Parent Isotope (Unstable)

Daughter Product (Stable)

α, β, or γ particle

What is a nuclear reaction?

  Three types:

1. Radioactive decay

2. Fission

3. Fusion

2. What is fission?   In fission…

  an unstable heavy nucleus splits apart to form two (or more) lighter nuclei

2. What is fission?   Fission is a chain reaction

2. What is fission?   Examples of fission:

  Atomic bomb

2. What is fission?   Examples of fission

  Nuclear energy

What is a nuclear reaction?   Three types:

1. Radioactive decay

2. Fission

3. Fusion

3. What is fusion?   In fusion…

  two nuclei come together and merge (or fuse) to form a heavier nucleus

3. What is fusion?   Examples of fusion

  The sun

3. What is fusion?   Examples of fusion

  Fusion reactor

What makes nuclear reactions so powerful?

  Nuclear reactions are…

…times more powerful than chemical reactions.

1,000,000 (one million)

What makes nuclear reactions so powerful?

  Albert Einstein

  E=mc2

  E = energy

  m = mass

  c = speed of light

  3 X 108 m/s

  A small amount of mass is converted into energy

What is a nuclear reaction?   Three types:

1. Radioactive decay

2. Fission

3. Fusion

Mind Map   In the center, write “Nuclear Reactions”

  In the next three ovals, write the 3 types of nuclear reactions   Radioactive Decay

  Fill in the boxes with a short definition, a small picture, and a list of examples   Definition: Unstable isotopes emit particle stable

  Examples: Radiation therapy

Practice Questions 1.  What is fission?

2.  How is fission different from fusion?

3.  What is something that fission and fusion have in common?

4.  What are two ways that nuclear reactions help us? What are two ways that nuclear reactions hurt us?

5.  How do nuclear reactions compare to chemical reactions?

6.  Why are nuclear reactions so powerful? What is the equation and who discovered it?

Exit Slip 1.  Which of the following correctly identifies the three

types of nuclear reactions?

a.  fission and fusion b.  fusion, fission, and isotope emission c.  fission, fusion, and radioactive decay d.  fusion, alpha particle, and fission

Exit Slip 2.  The process by which a heavy nucleus splits apart

to form two lighter nuclei is called a.  neutron absorption. b.  fusion. c.  beta decay.

d.  fission.

Exit Slip

3.  The picture above is an example of a.  fusion. b.  radioactive decay.

c.  fission. d.  none of the above.

Exit Slip 4.  Nuclear reactions are

a.  only destructive and do not contribute towards human development.

b.  one million times more powerful than chemical reactions.

c.  not involved with changes to the nucleus of an atom.

d.  dependant on the number of valence electrons in an isotope.

Exit Slip 5.  Why are nuclear reactions so powerful?

a.  because a small amount of mass is converted into energy

b.  because the speed of light is a really small number

c.  because electrons have a strong repulsive force

d.  because isotopes are usually more stable than other atoms of the same element

Homework   Pg. 874 #11, 15, 17

  Pg. 669 #6, 8, 11, 12, 19

  Study for tomorrow’s quiz using exit slips!   lpschem.wordpress.com