Textbook Question
How does a chain reaction occur in nuclear fission?
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Ch.5 Nuclear Chemistry
Timberlake14th EditionChemistry: An Introduction to General, Organic, and Biological ChemistryISBN: 9781292472249
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Table of contents
- Ch.1 Chemistry in Our Lives19
- Ch.2 Chemistry and Measurements80
- Ch.3 Matter and Energy53
- Ch.4 Atoms and Elements58
- Ch.5 Nuclear Chemistry42
- Ch.6 Ionic and Molecular Compounds57
- Ch.7 Chemical Quantities and Reactions38
- Ch.8 Gases30
- Ch.9 Solutions50
- Ch.10 Acids and Bases and Equilibrium64
- Ch.11 Introduction to Organic Chemistry: Hydrocarbons77
- Ch.12 Alcohols, Thiols, Ethers, Aldehydes, and Ketones82
- Ch.13 Carbohydrates54
- Ch.14 Carboxylic Acids, Esters, Amines, and Amides91
- Ch.15 Lipids61
- Ch.16 Amino Acids, Proteins, and Enzymes84
- Ch.17 Nucleic Acids and Protein Synthesis86
- Ch.18 Metabolic Pathways and ATP Production73
Timberlake14th EditionChemistry: An Introduction to General, Organic, and Biological ChemistryISBN: 9781292472249Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 5, Problem 51
In problems 5.51 to 5.54, a nucleus is shown with protons and neutrons.
Draw the new nucleus when this isotope emits a positron to complete the following:
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Verified step by step guidance1
Step 1: Understand the process of positron emission. Positron emission occurs when a proton in the nucleus is converted into a neutron, releasing a positron (β⁺) and a neutrino. This changes the atomic number of the element but keeps the mass number the same.
Step 2: Analyze the given nucleus. Count the number of protons (orange spheres) and neutrons (black spheres) in the original nucleus. This will help determine the atomic number and mass number of the isotope before the emission.
Step 3: Determine the new nucleus after positron emission. Since a proton is converted into a neutron, the number of protons decreases by 1, and the number of neutrons increases by 1. The atomic number decreases by 1, but the mass number remains unchanged.
Step 4: Identify the new element. Use the periodic table to find the element with the new atomic number (original atomic number minus 1). This represents the new nucleus formed after positron emission.
Step 5: Draw the new nucleus. Replace one proton (orange sphere) with a neutron (black sphere) in the diagram to represent the new nucleus. Ensure the total number of particles (protons + neutrons) remains the same, but the distribution reflects the change due to positron emission.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Positron Emission
Positron emission is a type of radioactive decay in which a proton in the nucleus is transformed into a neutron, resulting in the emission of a positron (the antimatter counterpart of an electron). This process decreases the atomic number of the element by one while keeping the mass number the same, leading to the formation of a new isotope.
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Positron Emission Concept 1
Nuclear Structure
The nucleus of an atom is composed of protons and neutrons, collectively known as nucleons. Protons carry a positive charge, while neutrons are neutral. The balance between these particles determines the stability of the nucleus and influences the type of decay it may undergo, such as positron emission.
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Isotopes
Isotopes are variants of a chemical element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons. This difference in neutron count results in varying atomic masses. Isotopes can be stable or unstable, with unstable isotopes undergoing radioactive decay, such as positron emission, to achieve a more stable configuration.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question
In problems 5.51 to 5.54, a nucleus is shown with protons and neutrons.
Draw the nucleus that emits a beta particle to complete the following:
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Textbook Question
In problems 5.51 to 5.54, a nucleus is shown with protons and neutrons.
Draw the nucleus of the isotope that is bombarded in the following:
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Textbook Question
In problems 5.51 to 5.54, a nucleus is shown with protons and neutrons.
Complete the following bombardment reaction by drawing the nucleus of the new isotope that is produced in the following:
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Textbook Question
Indicate whether each of the following is characteristic of the fission or fusion process, or both:
b. The nuclear process occurs in the Sun.
Textbook Question
In another fission reaction, uranium-235 bombarded with a neutron produces strontium-94, another small nucleus, and three neutrons. Write the balanced nuclear equation for the fission reaction.
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