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Nuclear Fission

radioactivity detection - radioactivity found everywhere

  • Geiger counter - creates pulse whenever radiation enters tube
    • radiation causes matter to ionize, create electrical current
  • scintillation counter - measures radiation based on light produced when radiation hits a phosphor
    • phosphor - substance that gives off light when hit by radiation
  • radiotracer - radioisotope used to trace the path of an element through a reaction

nuclear fission - fragmenting heavy nuclei to generate energy

  • chain reactions - 1 leading to another, multiplying number of reactions
  • critical mass - amount of fissionable material needed to maintain chain reaction
    • supercritical mass - in excess of critical mass
  • control rods - absorbs neutrons to regulate chain reaction
    • keeps reaction self-sustained, prevents overheating
  • moderator - slows down neutrons
  • cooling liquid - carries off heat generated by fission (can also work as the moderator)
  • problems w/ storing the radioactive wastes from fission

nuclear fusion - combining/fusing light nuclei

  • used by sun to produce energy
  • doesn’t produce any radioactive substances
  • requires at least 40,000,000 K to start reactions
  • tokamak - uses strong magnetic fields to contain/heat reaction
    • only reached temperatures of 3,000,000K

biological effects of radiation - radiation >> excitation or ionization of matter

  • excitation >> electrons go to higher energy states, moves more
  • ionization >> electron gets removed from atom
    • creates free radicals (has 1+ unpaired electrons)
    • can attack other compounds
  • gray (Gy) - absorption of 1J of energy per kg of tissue
    • 100 rads = 1 Gy
  • radon - radioactive noble gas fromed from uranium-238
    • no direct chemical effects when inhaled
    • short half-life >> can produce radiation very quickly
Subject: 
Chemistry
Subject X2: 
Chemistry

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