Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 21: Problem 58

The nucleus of nitrogen- 18 lies above the stability belt. Write an equation for a nuclear reaction by which nitrogen- 18 can achieve stability.

Short Answer

Expert verified
The nuclear reaction for Nitrogen-18 achieving stability is: \(^{18}_{7}\)N --> \(^{18}_{8}\)O + β- + \(\bar{ν}\), which indicates the beta decay process.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding instability of Nitrogen-18

Nitrogen-18 is above the belt of stability. This means it has too many neutrons compared to protons, making it unstable. To gain stability, it needs to convert some of its excess neutrons into protons through a process known as beta decay.
02

Beta Decay

In beta decay, a neutron in the nucleus of the atom changes into a proton. It emits a beta particle, which is a high-energy electron, and an electron antineutrino.
03

Writing the Nuclear Reaction

In the case of Nitrogen-18 (\(^{18}_{7}\)N), one neutron will change into a proton by emitting a beta particle (β-). Therefore, the Nitrogen-18 transforms into an atom of Oxygen-18 (\(^{18}_{8}\)O). The nuclear reaction can be written as follows: \(^{18}_{7}\)N --> \(^{18}_{8}\)O + β- + \(\bar{ν}\)

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

How does a Geiger counter work?

Complete these nuclear equations and identify \(\mathrm{X}\) in each case: (a) \({ }_{12}^{26} \mathrm{Mg}+{ }_{1}^{1} \mathrm{p} \longrightarrow{ }_{2}^{4} \alpha+\mathrm{X}\) (b) \({ }_{27}^{59} \mathrm{Co}+{ }_{1}^{2} \mathrm{H} \longrightarrow{ }_{27}^{60} \mathrm{Co}+\mathrm{X}\) (c) \({ }_{92}^{235} \mathrm{U}+{ }_{0}^{1} \mathrm{n} \longrightarrow{ }_{36}^{94} \mathrm{Kr}+{ }_{56}^{139} \mathrm{Ba}+3 \mathrm{X}\) (d) \({ }_{24}^{53} \mathrm{Cr}+{ }_{2}^{4} \alpha \longrightarrow{ }_{0}^{1} \mathrm{n}+\mathrm{X}\) (e) \({ }_{8}^{20} \mathrm{O} \longrightarrow{ }_{9}^{20} \mathrm{~F}+\mathrm{X}\)

Fill in the blanks in these radioactive decay series: (a) \(^{232} \mathrm{Th} \stackrel{\alpha}{\longrightarrow}\) _______ \(\stackrel{\beta}{\longrightarrow}\) ________ \(\stackrel{\beta}{\longrightarrow}{ }^{228} \mathrm{Th}\) (b) \({ }^{235} \mathrm{U} \stackrel{\alpha}{\longrightarrow}\) ________ \(\stackrel{\beta}{\longrightarrow}\) _________ \(\stackrel{\alpha}{\longrightarrow}^{227} \mathrm{Ac}\) (c) _______ \(\stackrel{\alpha}{\longrightarrow}{ }^{233} \mathrm{~Pa} \stackrel{\beta}{\longrightarrow}\) ___________ \(\stackrel{\alpha}{\longrightarrow}\) ________.

Nuclear waste disposal is one of the major concerns of the nuclear industry. In choosing a safe and stable environment to store nuclear wastes, consideration must be given to the heat released during nuclear decay. As an example, consider the \(\beta\) decay of \({ }^{90} \mathrm{Sr}\) \((89.907738 \mathrm{amu})\) $$ { }_{38}^{90} \mathrm{Sr} \longrightarrow{ }_{39}^{90} \mathrm{Y}+{ }_{-1}^{0} \beta \quad t_{\frac{1}{2}}=28.1 \mathrm{yr} $$ The \({ }^{90} \mathrm{Y}(89.907152 \mathrm{amu})\) further decays as follows: $$ { }_{39}^{90} \mathrm{Y} \longrightarrow{ }_{40}^{90} \mathrm{Zr}+{ }_{-1}^{0} \beta \quad t_{\frac{1}{2}}=64 \mathrm{~h} $$ Zirconium-90 (89.904703 amu) is a stable isotope. (a) Use the mass defect to calculate the energy released (in joules) in each of the preceding two decays. (The mass of the electron is \(5.4857 \times\) \(10^{-4}\) amu. ( b) Starting with 1 mole of \({ }^{90}\) Sr, calculate the number of moles of \(9^{9}\) Sr that will decay in a year. (c) Calculate the amount of heat released (in kilojoules) corresponding to the number of moles of \({ }^{90} \mathrm{Sr}\) decayed to \({ }^{90} \mathrm{Zr}\) in \((\mathrm{b})\)

Complete these nuclear equations and identify \(X\) in each case: (a) \({ }^{135}{ }_{53} \mathrm{I} \longrightarrow{ }_{54}^{135} \mathrm{Xe}+\mathrm{X}\) (b) \({ }_{19}^{40} \mathrm{~K} \longrightarrow{ }_{-1}^{0} \beta+\mathrm{X}\) (c) \({ }_{27}^{59} \mathrm{Co}+{ }_{0}^{1} \mathrm{n} \longrightarrow{ }_{25}^{56} \mathrm{Mn}+\mathrm{X}\) (d) \({ }_{92}^{235} \mathrm{U}+{ }_{0}^{1} \mathrm{n} \longrightarrow{ }_{40}^{99} \mathrm{Zr}+{ }_{52}^{135} \mathrm{Te}+2 \mathrm{X}\)
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Chemistry Textbooks

Chemistry Branches

Read Explanation

Physical Chemistry

Read Explanation

Chemical Analysis

Read Explanation

Organic Chemistry

Read Explanation

The Earths Atmosphere

Read Explanation

Chemical Reactions

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free