Nuclear disintegration

Disintegration, Nuclear—A spontaneous nuclear transformation (radioactivity) characterized by the emission of energy and/or mass from the nucleus. When large numbers of nuclei are involved, the process is characterized by a definite half-life (see Transformation, Nuclear). 

Atoms with the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons are called isotopes. To identify an isotope we use the symbol E, where E is the element s atomic symbol, Z is the element s atomic number (which is the number of protons), and A is the element s atomic mass number (which is the sum of the number of protons and neutrons). Although isotopes of a given element have the same chemical properties, their nuclear properties are different. The most important difference between isotopes is their stability. The nuclear configuration of a stable isotope remains constant with time. Unstable isotopes, however, spontaneously disintegrate, emitting radioactive particles as they transform into a more stable form. 

On the other hand, there are some ionization techniques that are very useful, particularly at very high mass, but produce ions only in pulses. For these sources, the ion extraction field can be left on continuously. Two prominent examples are Californium radionuclide and laser desorption ionization. In the former, nuclear disintegration occurs within a very short time frame to give a... 

Nuclear (fission) reactors produce useful thermal energy from the fission (or disintegration) of isotopes such as and 94Pu . Fission of a heavy... 

Atoms with the same value of Zbut different values of A are isotopes (Table 11.1). Many isotopes are stable but others are naturally or artificially radioactive, i.e. their atomic nuclei disintegrate, emitting particles or radiation. This changes the nuclear structure of the atom and often results in the production of a different element. 

Kem-umwandlung, /. nuclear transformation, transmutation, -verknlipfung,/. linkage to a nucleus, -verschmelzimg, /. nuclear fusion, -weehselwirkung, /. nuclear interaction, -werkstoff, m. core material. -woUe,/. prime wool, -zahl, /. number of nuclei, -zelle, /. nuclear cell, -zerfall, m. nuclear disintegration. -zerplatzen, n. nuclear explosion or disintegration. 

Zerfall-warme, /. heat of decomposition or dissociation. -zeit, /. (nuclear) disintegration time, decay time. 

The products of nuclear fission reactions are radioactive and disintegrate according to their own time scales. Often disintegration leads to other radioactive products. A few of these secondary products emit neutrons that add to the pool of neutrons produced by nuclear fission. Very importantly, neutrons from nuclear fission occur before those from radioactive decay. The neutrons from nuclear fission are termed prompt. Those from radioacth e decay arc termed delayed. A nuclear bomb must function on only prompt neutrons and in so doing requires nearly 100 percent pure (or Pu) fuel. Although reactor... 

Spontaneous nuclear fission takes place when the natural oscillations of a heavy nucleus cause it to break into two nuclei of similar mass (Fig. 17.21). We can think of the nucleus as distorting into a dumbbell shape and then breaking into two smaller nuclei. An example is the spontaneous disintegration of americium-244 into iodine and molybdenum ... 

C22-0094. Two isotopes used in positron-emission imaging are C and O. On which side of the belt of stability are these nuclides located Write the nuclear reactions for their disintegrations. 

Errors Inherent to the Radiocarbon Dating Method. The decay of radiocarbon is radioactive, involving discrete nuclear disintegrations taking place at random dates derived from the measurement of radiocarbon levels are therefore subject to statistical errors intrinsic to the measurement, which cannot be ignored. It is because of these errors that radiocarbon dates are expressed as a time range, in the form... 

Natural radioactivity derives from spontaneous nuclear disintegrations. Induced radioactivity derives from the bombardment of nuclei with accelerated subatomic particles or other nuclei. Both cause atoms of one nuclide to be converted to another nuclide. 

TNF-a can mediate death of sensitive cells via apoptosis or necrosis (necrotic death is characterized by clumping of the nuclear chromatin, cellular swelling, disintegration of intracellular organelles and cell lysis apoptotic death is characterized by cellular shrinking, formation of dense apoptotic masses and DNA fragmentation). 

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