Atoms nuclide

Although binding energy is a term referring to the nucleus, it is more convenient to use the mass of the whole atom (nuclide) in calculations, since these are the masses that are given in tables. If M(X) is the atomic mass of nuclide X,... 

Then, nuclear masses can be replaced by atomic (nuclidic) masses when calculating the binding energy. Whole atom masses can, in fact, be used for mass-difference calculations in all nuclear reaction types discussed in this chapter, except for f>+ processes where there is a resulting annihilation of two electron masses (one /f+ and one fi ). 

One atomic mass unit is defined as exactly the mass of one atom (nuclide) of C ... 

This conclusion immediately leads to an explanation of the Z/N ratio that approaches unity. The most common nuclide with unit ratio is the a-particle, He +. The fusion of a-particles in an equilibrium process under extreme pressure would produce atomic nuclides with uniform Z/N 1, which is a testable hypothesis. 

Isobars refers here to atoms (nuclides) of different chemical elements that have the same number of nucleons (particles in the nucleus, i.e. protons or neutrons). Correspondingly, isobars differ in atomic number (or number of protons) but have the same mass number. 

Isotopic methods and activation analysis are both analytical tools based on physical principles related to the nature of the atomic nucleus Atoms (nuclides)... 

Amount of substance mole mol Amount of substance which contains as many specified entities as there are atoms of car-bon-12 in exactly 0.012 kg of that nuclide. The elementary entities must be specified and may be atoms, molecules, ions, electrons, other particles, or specified groups of such particles. 

Natural abundance. The natural abundances listed are on an atom percent basis for the stable nuclides present in naturally occurring elements in the earth s crust. 

Several portions of Section 4, Properties of Atoms, Radicals, and Bonds, have been significantly enlarged. For example, the entries under Ionization Energy of Molecular and Radical Species now number 740 and have an additional column with the enthalpy of formation of the ions. Likewise, the table on Electron Affinities of the Elements, Molecules, and Radicals now contains about 225 entries. The Table of Nuclides has material on additional radionuclides, their radiations, and the neutron capture cross sections. 

Our present views on the electronic structure of atoms are based on a variety of experimental results and theoretical models which are fully discussed in many elementary texts. In summary, an atom comprises a central, massive, positively charged nucleus surrounded by a more tenuous envelope of negative electrons. The nucleus is composed of neutrons ( n) and protons ([p, i.e. H ) of approximately equal mass tightly bound by the force field of mesons. The number of protons (2) is called the atomic number and this, together with the number of neutrons (A ), gives the atomic mass number of the nuclide (A = N + Z). An element consists of atoms all of which have the same number of protons (2) and this number determines the position of the element in the periodic table (H. G. J. Moseley, 191.3). Isotopes of an element all have the same value of 2 but differ in the number of neutrons in their nuclei. The charge on the electron (e ) is equal in size but opposite in sign to that of the proton and the ratio of their masses is 1/1836.1527. 

Since the radioactive half-lives of the known transuranium elements and their resistance to spontaneous fission decrease with increase in atomic number, the outlook for the synthesis of further elements might appear increasingly bleak. However, theoretical calculations of nuclear stabilities, based on the concept of closed nucleon shells (p. 13) suggest the existence of an island of stability around Z= 114 and N= 184. Attention has therefore been directed towards the synthesis of element 114 (a congenor of Pb in Group 14 and adjacent superheavy elements, by bombardment of heavy nuclides with a wide range of heavy ions, but so far without success. 

Element has no stable nuclides the value given in parentheses is the atomic mass number of the isotope of longest known half-life. However, three such elements (Th, Pa and U) do have a characteristic terrestrial isotopic composition, and for these an atomic weight is tabulated. 

A scintillation counter registers emitted radiation caused by the disintegration of nuclides. If each atom of nuclide emits one count, what is the activity of a sample that registers 3.00 X 104 disintegrations in five minutes ... 

Transuranium Nuclides in the Environment" International Atomic Energy Agency Vienna, 1976. 

The discoveries of Becquerel, Curie, and Rutherford and Rutherford s later development of the nuclear model of the atom (Section B) showed that radioactivity is produced by nuclear decay, the partial breakup of a nucleus. The change in the composition of a nucleus is called a nuclear reaction. Recall from Section B that nuclei are composed of protons and neutrons that are collectively called nucleons a specific nucleus with a given atomic number and mass number is called a nuclide. Thus, H, 2H, and lhO are three different nuclides the first two being isotopes of the same element. Nuclei that change their structure spontaneously and emit radiation are called radioactive. Often the result is a different nuclide. 

STRATEGY Write the nuclear equation for each reaction, representing the daughter nuclide as E, with atomic number Z and mass number A. Then find Z and A from the requirement that both mass number and atomic number are conserved in a nuclear reaction, (a) In a decay, two protons and two neutrons are lost. As a result, the mass number decreases by 4 and the atomic number decreases by 2 (see Fig. 17.7). (b) The loss of one negative charge when an electron is ejected from the nucleus (Fig. 17.8) can be interpreted as the conversion of a neutron into a proton within the nucleus ... 

Figure 17.13 is a plot of mass number against atomic number for known nuclides. Stable nuclei are found in a band of stability surrounded by a sea of instability, the region of unstable nuclides that decay with the emission of radiation. For atomic numbers up to about 20, the stable nuclides have approximately equal numbers of neutrons and protons, and so A is close to 2Z. For higher atomic numbers, all known nuclides—both stable and unstable—have more neutrons than protons, and so A > 2Z. 

Very few nuclides with Z < 60 emit a particles. All nuclei with Z > 82 are unstable and decay mainly by a-particle emission. They must discard protons to reduce their atomic number and generally need to lose neutrons, too. These nuclei decay in a step-by-step manner and give rise to a radioactive series, a characteristic sequence of nuclides (Fig. 17.16). First, one a particle is ejected, then another a particle or a (3-particle is ejected, and so on, until a stable nucleus, such as an iso tope of lead (with the magic atomic number 82) is formed. For example, the uranium-238 series ends at lead-206, the uranium-235 series ends at lead-207, and the thorium-232 series ends at lead-208. 

Mt, Z = 109) were formally named in 1997. The transmeitnerium elements, the elements beyond meitnerium (including hypothetical nuclides that have not yet been made) are named systematically, at least until they have been identified and there is international agreement on a permanent name. Their systematic names use the prefixes in Table 17.2, which identify their atomic numbers, with the ending -him. Thus, element 110 was known as ununnilium until it was named darmstadtium (Ds) in 2003. 

Because the masses of nuclides are so small, they are normally reported as a multiple of the atomic mass constant, ma (formerly atomic mass unit, amu). The atomic mass constant is defined as exactly V12 the mass of one atom of carbon-12 ... 

STRATEGY The nuclear binding energy is the energy released in the formation of the nucleus from its nucleons. Use H atoms instead of protons to account for the masses of the electrons in the He atom produced. Write the nuclear equation for the formation of the nuclide from hydrogen atoms and neutrons, and calculate the difference in masses between the products and the reactants convert the result from a multiple... 

A radioactive sample contains 3.25 X 1018 atoms of a nuclide that decays at a rate of 3.4 X 1013 disintegrations per 15 min. (a) What percentage of the nuclide will have decayed after 150 d (b) How many atoms of the nuclide will remain in the sample (c) What is the half-life of the nuclide ... 

The total radioactivity, Ag, of a specified nuclide in a target containing N atoms of the appropriate isotope, irradiated in a flux, /, of neutrons for t seconds and allowed to decay for T seconds after the end of the irradiation, is given by... 

The earliest studies in this field were conducted largely to benefit from the Szilard-Chalmers effect—namely, the separation of radioactive atoms from the bulk material—in order either to make nuclear chemical study of radioactive nuclides or to effect an enrichment of radioisotopes. In Table II are listed some selected works of this type. 

The only respect in which the hot atom chemistry of organometallic compounds has so far been applied to other fields of study is in the area of isotope enrichment. Much of this has been done for isolation of radioactive nuclides from other radioactive species for the purpose of nuclear chemical study, or for the preparation of high specific activity radioactive tracers. Some examples of these applications have been given in Table II. The most serious difficulty with preparation of carrier-free tracers by this method is that of radiolysis of the target compound, which can be severe under conditions suited to commercial isotope production, so that the radiolysis products dilute the enriched isotopes. A balance can be struck in some cases, however, between high yield and high specific activity (19, 7J),... 

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