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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

Strontium- 90 is one of the products of the fission of uranium- \(235 .\) This strontium isotope is radioactive, with a half-life of 28.1 yr. Calculate how long (in yr) it will take for \(1.00 \mathrm{~g}\) of the isotope to be reduced to \(0.200 \mathrm{~g}\) by decay.

Sources of energy on Earth include fossil fuels, geothermal, gravitational, hydroelectric, nuclear fission, nuclear fusion, solar, and wind. Which of these have a "nuclear origin," either directly or indirectly?

What is the belt of stability?

For each pair of isotopes listed, predict which one is less stable: (a) \({ }_{3}^{6} \mathrm{Li}\) or \({ }_{3}^{9} \mathrm{Li},\) (b) \({ }_{11}^{23} \mathrm{Na}\) or \({ }_{11}^{25} \mathrm{Na},\) (c) \({ }_{20}^{48} \mathrm{Ca}\) or \({ }_{21}^{48} \mathrm{Sc}\).

Which of the following poses a greater health hazard: a radioactive isotope with a short half-life or a radioactive isotope with a long half-life? Explain. [Assume same type of radiation \((\alpha\) or \(\beta)\) and comparable energetics per particle emitted.
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