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Chapter 21: Problem 31

What is the difference between radioactive decay and nuclear transmutation?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Radioactive decay is a spontaneous process where an unstable nucleus loses energy, resulting in a different atom. Nuclear transmutation can be spontaneous or induced, and results in the conversion of one chemical element or isotope into another.

Step by step solution

01

Define Radioactive Decay

Radioactive decay is a natural process where an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by radiation. An atom with unstable nucleus will spontaneously decompose to form a different atom, typically accompanied by emission of particles or energy in the form of gamma rays.
02

Define Nuclear Transmutation

Nuclear transmutation is the conversion of one chemical element or an isotope into another. This occurs naturally due to radioactive decay, or artificially in nuclear reactors or particle accelerators, where induced nuclear reactions are made to occur that would not ordinarily happen.
03

Highlight the Differences

The main difference between the two processes is that radioactive decay happens spontaneously in unstable atoms, while nuclear transmutation can be induced or occurs naturally and leads to the conversion of one element or isotope into another.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Why do radioactive decay series obey first-order kinetics?

(a) What is the activity, in millicuries, of a 0.500 -g sample of \({ }_{93}^{237} \mathrm{~Np}\) ? (This isotope decays by \(\alpha\) -particle emission and has a half-life of \(2.20 \times 10^{6}\) yr.) (b) Write a balanced nuclear equation for the decay of \({ }^{237} \mathrm{~Np}\)

The constituents of wine contain, among others, carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. A bottle of wine was sealed about 6 yr ago. To confirm its age, which of the isotopes would you choose in a radioactive dating study? The half-lives of the isotopes are: \({ }^{14} \mathrm{C}: 5730 \mathrm{yr}\) \({ }^{15} \mathrm{O}: 124 \mathrm{~s} ;{ }^{3} \mathrm{H}: 12.5 \mathrm{yr}\). Assume that the activities of the isotopes were known at the time the bottle was sealed.

After the Chernobyl accident, people living close to the nuclear reactor site were urged to take large amounts of potassium iodide as a safety precaution. What is the chemical basis for this action?

Write complete nuclear equations for these processes: (a) tritium, \({ }^{3} \mathrm{H},\) undergoes \(\beta\) decay; \((\mathrm{b}){ }^{242} \mathrm{Pu}\) undergoes \(\alpha\) -particle emission; \((\mathrm{c})^{131} \mathrm{I}\) undergoes \(\beta\) decay; (d) \(^{251} \mathrm{Cf}\) emits an \(\alpha\) particle.
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