Artificial
Radioactivity
And Its
Applications
Radioactivity:
• Radioactivity is defined as:
• The spontaneous emission of radiation
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in the form of particles or high energy
photons resulting from a nuclear
reaction.
Types Of Radioactivity:
• On the basis of means of
transmutations, it can be classified as:
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Natural radioactivity
Artificial radioactivity.
Natural Radioactivity:
• It is defined as:
• The phenomenon in which the nucleus of
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an atom of an element undergoes
spontaneous and uncontrollable
disintegrations by emitting α, β or γ rays.
• 92238U → 90234Th + 24He
• 86222Rn → 84218Po + 24He
Artificial Radioactivity:
• It is defined as:
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• The process in which a stable nucleus is
changed into an unstable nucleus by
bombarding it with appropriate atomic
projectiles like α particle, neutrons, protons,
deuterons etc.
Artificial Radioactivity:
• It is a non-spontaneous process.
• Positrons (+10e), neutrons (01n) electrons
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(-10e) and γ rays are emitted.
• No artificially synthesized radioactive isotopes emit α
particle.
• A small amount of energy is released.
• Artificial radioactivity can be induced in lighter nuclei
• By controlling the flow of projectiles, artificial
transmutation can be controlled.
Example:
• First artificial radioactive nucleus
is 1530P and it is produced by
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alpha decay of 1327Al.
• 1327Al + 24He → 1530P + 01n
ACTIVATION (OR RADIOACTIVATION)
• The third type of radioactive isotopes which may be produced in
combination with reactors and nuclear weapons, are activation
products.
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• These radioactive isotopes are formed when stable isotopes are
bombarded by neutrons.
• Co-60 is an activation product formed when Co-59 absorbs a
neutron. Likewise, Cs-134 is formed from Cs-133 by neutron
capture.
• 0n+Co-59→Co-60
1
Discovery:
• Rutherford was first to observed the decay
of unstable nuclei by the loss of alpha and
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beta particles by the preceding elements.
• Irène Joliot-Curie and Frédéric Joliot-
Curie discovered induced radioactivity in
1934, and they shared the 1935 Nobel Prize
in Chemistry for this discovery.
• Irene Joliet-Curie and her husband Frédéric
both artificially synthesized a radioactive
isotope of phosphorus by bombarding
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aluminum with alpha particles. P-30 with 15
protons was the first radioactive nuclide
obtained through this method
• 1327Al+24He→1530P+01n
• 1530P→1430Si+-10β
Projectiles:
• A high speed particle which strike nucleus of an
atom to carry out artificial transmutation is called
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projectile.
• These are:
• Protons (1H1)
• Deuterons (1H2)
• α particle (2He4)
• Neutrons (0n1) etc
Using protons (1H1) as a projectiles
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Using deuterons (1H2) as a projectile:
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Using α-particles (2He4) as a projectile:
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Using neutrons (0n1) as a projectile:
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Neutrons are the best projectiles:
• Neutrons do not carry any charge. Due
to chargeless nature, they are not
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deflected by extranuclear electrons.
Similarly they are not repelled by the
positive charge of the target nucleus.
PHOTO DISINTEGRATIONS:
• It can be defined as:
• The nuclear reactions induced by γ-rays or photons are called photo
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disintegration reactions.
• Examples:
• 1H2 +γ 1H
1 + 0n1
12Mg
25 +
11Na + 1 H1
• γ 24
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APPLICATIONS OF
ARTIFICIAL
TRANSMUTATIONS
1. Preparation of trans-uranic elements:
• Thirteen elements with atomic numbers 93 to 105 are
called trans-uranic elements.
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• By changing the target element and bombarding
projectiles, various isotopes of these elements have
been obtained by artificial transmutation reactions.
Examples:
• 1940: First element above atomic no. 92 are made
238U + 10n ——>92239U + gamma ray
92
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239U ——> 239Np (2.36 days)
92 93
• 1950: Elements through atomic no. 98 (Cf; Californium)
242Cm + 24He ——>98245Cf (45 min) + 01n
96
• 1960: Elements through atomic no. 102 (No: Nobelium)
248Cm + 612C ——>102256No (3.3 sec) + 401n
96
Fission and fusion reactions:
• Fission: Nuclei that are larger than iron-56
may undergo nuclear reactions in which they
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break up into two or more smaller nuclei.
These reactions are called fission reactions.
• 01n +92235U →56141Ba +3692Kr +301n
Fission and fusion reactions:
• Fusion: Nuclei that are smaller than iron-56 become larger
nuclei in order to be more stable. These nuclei undergo a
nuclear reaction in which smaller nuclei join together to
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form a larger nucleus. Such nuclear reactions are
called fusion reactions.
• In both fission and fusion, large amounts of energy are given
off in the form of heat, light, and gamma radiation. Nuclear
fission was discovered in the late 1930's when U-235
nuclides were bombarded with neutrons and were
observed to split into two smaller-mass nuclei.
Discovery of new fundamental particles:
• The study of transmutation reaction has enabled us to discover new
fundamental particles like α-particles, protons, deuterons, neutrons,
tritons, γ-rays, positrons etc. the discovery of these particles are
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shown by following reactions.
• 14N + 24He 17O + 11H
7 8
• 9Be + 24He 12C + 10n
4 6
• 27Al + 24He 30P + 10n
13 15
• 30P 30Si + -1e0
15 14
• The discovery of these particles has added to our knowledge of the
composition of the nucleus
Preparation of missing elements:
• When Mendeleev arranged the elements in the
form of a periodic table, he left four gaps in it.
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• These gaps were left for the elements with
periodic number 43, 61 and 87, since these
elements were not known at that time. He called
these elements as missing elements.
• After a few years, radioactive isotopes of these
elements were synthesized by using artificial
transmutation reaction and were characterized.
Cont…
• These elements were named as technetium, Tc(T = 43), promethium,
Pm(Z = 61), astatine, (At = 85) and francium, Fr(Z = 87) respectively.
The synthesis of these elements is given below:
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• Technetium, 4399Tc
• 98Mo + 01n 99Mo +γ
42 42
• 99Mo 99Tc + -10e
42 43
• Promethium, 61148Pm
• 148Nd + 11H 148Pm + 01n
60 61
Cont…
• Astatine, 87211At
209Bi + 24H 211At + 201n
83 85
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• Francium 87223Fr
226Ra + 01n 227Ra +γ
88 88
227Ra + 01n 227Ac + -10e
88 89
Preparation of Radioactive and non-
radioactive isotopes:
• Artificial transmission reactions have been used to
prepare many radioactive isotopes ([Link]-24, Co-
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60, P-30, P-32 etc.) which have been used as
radioactive tracers in various processes
• medical field
• Agriculture
• Industry
• analytical chemistry etc.
Cont…
• Radioactive isotopes:
23Na + 2H 24Na + 1H
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11 1 11 1
27Al + 1n 24Na + 4He
11 0 11 2
• Non-radioactive isotopes:
14N + 4He 17O + 1H
7 2 8 1
10B 4He 13C + 1H
5 2 6 1
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listening 15291507-029