Barebones Chemistry B: BLOCK 15: Nuclear Chemistry

Nuclear Chemistry

Introduction: There is some degree of irony in that the most powerful source of energy comes from the smallest part of the atom, the nucleus.

Not only is that hard to comprehend but when we know the energy comes from matter actually being converted into energy by the formula E = m c ² the lack of comprehension becomes even more difficult.

Nuclear energy is also the focus of intense disagreement about both the use of nuclear energy for war or even peaceful purposes.

The following video gives a good overview of many of the main topics covered in this unit. As the video is playing make a list of the primary vocabulary terms covered in the video.

LESSON 1: Nuclear Radiation

Nuclear Radiation is invisible in it's normal state, but the results are dangerously obvious. Watch the following documentary about the radiation results of the Fukushima reactor destruction several years ago.

After the video is over, write your reaction to what you observe. Do you think such a disaster could ever occur here in the United States?

Types of Nuclear Radiation

LESSON 2: Nuclear Transformation

These next videos give an excellent overview of nuclear transformation and the writing of nuclear equations.

Alpha Decay

Beta Decay

LESSON 3: Fission and Fusion

At its simplest, the abundant energy that we call nuclear comes from either the nuclei of certain atoms splitting apart (FISSION) or joining together (FUSION). In this section we will investigate the fundamental nature of fission and fusion, then we will illustrate the use of nuclear energy as a weapon, production of electrical power and radiation and health.

Fission and Fusion explained.