Chemistry for CAPE. Page 25.
1. What do understand by the following terms:
(a) mass number
(b) isotope
(c) relative atomic mass (Ar)
2. What are radioisotopes?
RADIOACTIVITY
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:
1.3. define the following terms:
(i) mass number
(ii) isotopes
(iii) relative atomic and isotopic masses based on
the 126C scale.
1.4. explain the phenomenon of radioactivity.
1.5. cite the use of radioisotopes.
1.6 calculate the relative atomic mass of an element,
given isotopic masses and abundances;
Atomic number (Z)
• is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom.
Mass number (A)
• is the number of protons plus neutrons in the
nucleus of an atom. So the number of neutrons in
an atom is A – Z.
Isotopes
• are atoms with the same atomic number but
different mass number.
Mass number 23
Atomic number 11 Na Element symbol
Relative atomic mass and relative isotopic mass
The mass of the single atom is to small to weigh, so
It is use the carbon-12 atom as standard. The mass
of the other atoms is compare to this standard.
Isotope which is taken to be exactly 12.
Relative atomic mass (Ar)
• is the weighed average mass of naturally
occurring atoms of an element on a scale where
an atom of carbon-12 has a mass of exactly 12
units.
Relative isotopic mass
• is the mass of a particular isotope of an element
on a scale where an atom of carbon-12 has a
mass of exactly 12 units.
Most naturally occurring elements exist as a mixture
of isotopes . So the mass number are not always
exact the account of the proportion of each isotope.
This is called its Relative isotopic abundance.
Isotope Relative isotopic Relative
mass abundance %
20 Ne 20 90.9
21 Ne 21 0.30
22 Ne 22 8.8
Ar = (20 x 90.9) + (21 x 0.30) + (22 x 8.8) = 20.2
100
The mass spectrum for zirconium
Calculate the relative atomic mass of Zr.
90x51.5 + 91x11.2 + 92x17.1 + 94x17.4 + 96x2.8/100
Zr (Ar) = 91.318
Nuclear Stability means that nucleus is
stable meaning that it does not spontaneously
emit any kind of radioactivity (radiation).
Radioactivity is the spontaneous disintegration
of atomic nuclei.
The nucleus emits α particles, ß particles, or
electromagnetic rays δ during this process.
DISINTEGRATION OF ATOMIC NUCLEI
Name of Type of particles/ ray
Stopped by
emission emitted
Helium nuclei
thin sheet of
Alpha (α ) (positively charge
paper
particles)
Electrons (produce by 6 mm thick
Beta (β )
nuclear changes) aluminium foil
Very high frequency
Gamma (δ ) electromagnetic thick lead sheet
radiation
α-decay
α-decay occurs when the nucleus spontaneously
ejects an alpha particle (nucleus with more than 83
protons)
The isotope produced has a mass number of 4
units lower and a nuclear charge of 2 units lower
than the original atom:
223 Ra
88 → 4 He
2 + 21986Rn
β- decay
The mass number stays the same but the number of
protons increases by one. This is because a
neutron(10n) is change into a proton (11p) and an
electron (o-1e):
1 n → 1 p + 0
0 1+ -1e
For example sodium-24 decays to magnesium-24
when it emits a β-particles.
24 Na → 0 e + 24 Mg
11 -1 12
δ-decay
Gamma rays are a type of electromagnetic wave.
For complex nuclei there are many different possible
ways in which the neutrons and protons can be
arranged within the nucleus.
Gamma rays can be emitted when a nucleus
undergoes a transition from one such configuration to
another.
Gamma decay follows the form:
• Gamma emission.
• Positron emission.
• Electron capture.
δ-decay
In GAMMA EMISSION, neither the atomic number
or the mass number is changed. A high energy
gamma ray is given off when the parent isotope
falls into a lower energy state. Gamma radiation is
the most penetrating of all. These photons can
pass through the body and cause damage by
ionizing all the molecules in their way.
POSITRON EMISSION (also called Beta positive
decay) follows the form:
In this reaction a positron is emitted. A positron is
exactly like an electron in mass and charge force
except with a positive charge. It is formed when a
proton breaks into a neutron with mass and neutral
charge and this positron with no mass and the
positive charge. Positron emission is most common
in lighter elements with a low neutron to proton ratio.
ELECTRON CAPTURE follows the form:
In this reaction a nucleus captures one of its own
atom's inner shell electrons which reduce the
atomic number by one. This captured electron
joins with a proton in the nucleus to form a
neutron. Electron capture is common in larger
elements with a low neutron to proton ratio.
GRAPH SHOWING THE BAND OF STABILITY AND NUCLEAR DECAY
Uses of Radioactivity
• Tracers for searching for faults in pipelines and for
studying the working of certain organs in the body, e.g.
131I is used to study thyroid function.
• In medicine, for radiotherapy in the treatment of
cancers.
• Dating the age of objects, e.g. using 14C to date objects
which were once living.
• Smoke detectors often use 241Am.
• Generating power, e.g. 235U is used in many nuclear
reactors as a source of energy.
A common error is to suggest that α- particles are
helium atoms. They are not: they are helium nuclei
He2+
Another error is to think that β-particles are
electrons from the outside the nucleus.
The β-particles electrons arise from the nucleus
not from the electron shells.
The atomic structure has developed to fit the
experimental evidence.
Most of the mass of the atom is in the nucleus which
contains protons and neutrons. The electrons are
outside the nucleus in shells.
Electrons, protons and neutrons have characteristic
relative masses and charges.
Beans of protons and electrons are deflected in
opposite directions by electric and magnetic fields.
Neutrons are not deflected.
Mass number is the total number of protons +
neutrons in an isotope.
Isotopes are atoms with the same number of protons
but different number of neutrons.
Relative atomic masses are compared using the 12C
scale.
The relative atomic mass of an element is the
weighted mean of the atoms of the isotopes they
contain.
When an unstable isotope decays rays or particles
are emitted.
α, β, and γ-radiation have characteristic properties.
Chemistry for CAPE. Page 25. Questions 1 to 5.
1. What do you understand by the following terms:
(a) mass number
(b) isotope
(c) relative atomic mass
2. The mass spectrum of lead shows the relative
abundance of lead-204 is 1.4%, lead-206 is 24.1%,
lead-207 is 22.1% and lead-208 is 52.4%.
Calculate the Ar of lead.
3. The analysis of a compound in the mass
spectrometer involves ionization, acceleration,
deflection and detection. Briefly explain each of
these processes is achieved in the mass
spectrometer.
4. (a) What are radioisotopes?
(b) Give two uses of radioisotopes.
(c) The mass spectrum of elements X shows it
has two isotopes of masses 63 and 65 with
relative abundance of 75% and 25%
respectively. Calculate the Ar(X).
(d) Write the electronic configuration of X given
the atomic number 29.
5. With the aid of suitable equations, show how the
atomic mass and atomic number of an isotope
change when a nucleus emits.
(a) an alpha particle
(b) a beta particle
(c) gamma radiation
Homework
1. a. Write equations showing the α-decay of
the following radioisotopes:
i. 23892U
ii. 222 Ra
88
b. Write equations showing the β-decay of
the following radioisotopes
i. 23490Th
ii. 14 C
6