Effects of Nuclear Transformations

Since most of the work to be described has been carried out with neutron irradiations, and since the physical phenomena accompanying neutron See General Bibliography. 

When a nucleus is placed in a flux of neutrons, it may capture another neutron. It thus is often unstable toward further decay by j3 -emission. The induced radioactivity is critical to the study of chemical consequences of neutron capture, since so few of these new nuclei are produced that generally they cannot be observed by any other means. This radioactivity is not, however, a part of the phenomenon which we wish to observe and, moreover, is occasionally a distraction. 

The energy balance in neutron capture is easily accounted for by use of the law of conservation of mass-energy. Where a nucleus captures a neutron to become we have the reaction energy, Q, given by 

60-70% of the energy, the rest being either as yet unobserved or not yet fitted into the decay scheme. 

A further complicating factor is that many low-energy y-transitions are converted, that is, their energy is released through the expulsion of one or more atomic electrons. This gives rise to the Auger cascade, which will be described below. 

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Henglein, A., Muccini, G. A., Chemical Effects of Nuclear Transformations, pp. 89-98, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, 1961. 

Chemical Effects of Nuclear Transformations. I.A. E. A. Symposium, Vienna 1961. Chemical Effects of Nuclear Transformations. I.A.E.A. Symposium, Vienna 1965. Willard, J. E. Chemical Effects of Nuclear Transformations. Ann. Rev. Nucl. Sci. i, 193—220 (1953). 

After effects of nuclear transformations in solids Biological systems Minerals... 

Andersen T (1979) in Harbottle G, Maddock AG (eds) Chemical Effects of Nuclear Transformations in Inorganic Systems, North-Holland, Amsterdam, p 403... 

Halmann, M. Chemical effects of nuclear transformations, p. 195. Vienna Int. 

Harbottle, G, Maddock, A. G. "Chemical Effects of Nuclear Transformations in Inorganic Systems", North-HoHand Publishing Co., Amsterdam, 1979. 

If we understand nuclear chemistry to mean the study of the effects of nuclear transformations, especially of proton number (i.e., transformation of one element to another), then from the physicist s or chemist s viewpoint the nuclear chemistry of noble gases is neither more nor less interesting than any other group of elements, and there is no reason to distinguish noble gases from any other elements. From the geochemist s viewpoint, which defines the scope of this book, particular interest is attached to natural nuclear chemistry effects, which involve enough nuclear transformations to produce observable variations in elemental or, more commonly,... 

Harbottle, G., and Maddock, A. G. (1979). Chemical Effects of Nuclear Transformation in Inorganic Systems. North-Holland Publ., Amsterdam. 

Nefedov, V. D., Sinotova, E. 1., and Toropova, M. A. (1981). Khimicheskie Sledstvija Radioaktivnogo Raspada (Chemical Effects of Nuclear Transformations, p. 15, 22. Energoizdat, Moscow. 

Nuclear reactions may lead to stable or unstable (radioactive) products. In general, (n, y), (n, p), and (d, p) reactions give radionuclides on the right-hand side of the line of p stability that exhibit decay, whereas (p, n), (d,2n), (n, 2n), (y, n), (d, n) and (p, y) reactions lead to radionuclides on the left-hand side of the line of p stability that exhibit p decay or electron capture (e). (n, y), (d, p), (n, 2n) and (y, n) reactions give isotopic nuclides, and these cannot be separated from the target nuclides by chemical methods, except for the application of the chemical effects of nuclear transformations which will be discussed in chapter 9. 

Figure 9.9. Charge distribution of the ions a) after decay of Xe b) after isomeric transition of (According to A. H. Snell, F. Pleasonton, T. A. Carlson Proceedings Series, Chemical Effects of Nuclear Transformations, Vol. I. IAEA Vienna 1961, S. 147.)...

J. E. Willard, Chemical Effects of Nuclear Transformations, Annu. Rev. Nucl. Sci. 3, 193 (1953)... 

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