Online Nuclear Chemistry Investigation

Assignment:

·    Read the ThinkQuest information on Nuclear Reactions, Einstein’s Equation, Nuclear Binding Energy, Radioactivity, Nuclear Stability, Transmutation and Nuclear Reactors (linked above http://library.thinkquest.org/3659/nucreact/).

·    Read Steve Marsden’s Nuclear Processes and Energy Changes Tutorial edited and linked with more resources.

·    Explore and review the informative questions and answers and articles at ScienceNet on (http://www.sciencenet.org.uk/database/Physics/Lists/radioactivity.html)

·    Review the following Regent’s Exam Tutorial Online Questions 1-18 below:  Questions are occasionally supplemented with reading and research materials that are already contained in the above resources to help you learn these concepts. 
01   02   03   04   05   06   07   08   09   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18

·    Define the following:  alpha particle, beta particle, gamma ray, neutrino, nuclide, nucleon, positron, radioactive emanation as well as any other term you are unfamiliar with that appears in the reading.  (15 terms minimum)

·    Form Groups #1-8 of only 4 or 5 students each and collectively answer the following questions after completing your initial individual investigation above.  Each student will answer a minimum of 6 questions and all 34 questions must be answered within your group.  Observe that some of these items are already linked to a website to assist investigation.

1.     What is a quark?  [Missing mass?]

2.     What is the relationship between the electron, proton, neutron, alpha particle, beta particle and gamma ray in relationship to mass and charge?

3.     Describe the relative energy release per gram of material of nuclear fusion or fission reactions versus those of chemical reactions.  What does this have to do with E=mc²?

4.     What determines nuclear stability?  What is binding energy?  What is mass defect?  What is the sea of stability?

5.     Describe nuclear decay.  Describe how the nucleus changes in each type of decay.

6.     Describe the different amounts and kinds of damage in matter and different penetrations produced by alpha, beta, and gamma radiation.

7.     What is artificial transmutation?  What is natural transmutation?

8.     What is meant by half-life. 

9.     What type of radiation is unaffected by magnetic fields?

10.   What particle  is unaffected by magnetic fields?

11.   What particle is most directly responsible for chemical properties of isotopes and elements?

12.   What radioactive isotope is used in geological dating?

13.   What radioactive isotope is used in organic dating and reaction mechanisms?

14.   What are used as coolants in nuclear reactors?  Why is this necessary?

15.   What is the purpose of a control rod in a nuclear reactor?

16.   What is a “criticality run?”

17.   What is the purpose of a moderator in a nuclear reactor?

18.   Compare and contrast fission and fusion reactions.

19.   Write a nuclear equation that illustrates fission.

20.   Write a nuclear equation that illustrates fusion.

21.   Why is fusion of nuclei difficult?

22.   What is a particle accelerator?  What is its purpose?  What particles can/can’t it accelerate? 

23.   What device is used to slow the speed of neutrons in a nuclear reactor.  Does this enhance fission? Why or why not?

24.   Explain how to write nuclear equations showing alpha and beta decay and how to predict missing particles from nuclear equations.

25.   Describe some of the inherent risks/benefits associated with radioactivity.

26.   Explain how to calculate the initial amount, the fraction remaining, or the half-life of a radioactive isotope given two of the three variables.

27.  Identify special uses of common radioisotopes, such as I-131 in diagnosing and treating thyroid disorders, C-14 to C-12 ratio in dating once living organisms,
  U-238 to Pb-236 ratio in dating geological formations and Co-60 in treating cancer.

28.   What are Cosmic Rays?  Why are we studying them?

29.   Describe the three most common, current devices used to monitor radiation exposure and how they work.

30.   What happened at Chernobyl and 3-mile Island?  Describe the future implications of these historical occurrences.

31.   What is a radioactive tracer?

32.   Describe some of the important contributions by the following individuals to our understanding of nuclear chemistry:  Ernest Rutherford, Marie Sklodowska Curie, Antoine Henri Becquerel, E.O. Lawrence, Wilhelm Roentgen.

33.   What is a chain reaction?  What happens and how is a chain reaction in a nuclear reactor controlled?

34.    How do smoke detectors work?