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6.band of Stability

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155 views2 pages

6.band of Stability

Uploaded by

Fabian Gutii
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Name:__________________ Per:________

Worksheet- Band of Stability


Objective: Determine if an atom is “stable”, “unstable (aka radioactive)”, or “does not exist” based on its position
on the graph below.
Background Info: Isotopes of elements found in nature are all located within the gray area on the graph below
called the band of stability. Those elements found in the middle of the “band” have a very stable nucleus, while
those elements on the outer edges of the band have an unstable nucleus and are said to be “radioactive”.
However, some combinations of protons and neutrons in the nucleus are so unstable that they cannot even exist long
enough to be recognized as elements and these fall outside the band of stability.

Instructions: a) Determine the # of subatomic particles each element contains b) Locate & plot where the
following atoms would be on the graph below. Label each atom after it has been plotted (ex: see Potassium- 41)
195 81 238 191 Questions to Answer:
24
12 Mg 142
60 Nd 77 Ir 35 Br 92U 77 Ir 1. Did any of your atoms land
outside the gray area? Explain why
# P= # P= # P= # P= # P= # P= or why not.
# e= # e= # e= # e= # e= # e=
#n = #n = #n = #n = #n = #n =

2. How can there be two different


atoms of iridium? How are they
different?

3. Would a small atom (less than 40


protons) be found in nature if it has the
same number of protons & neutrons (1:1
ratio)? Explain.

4. Would a large atom (more than 40


protons) be found in nature if it has the
same number of protons & neutrons (1:1
ratio)? Explain.

5. Two of the atoms you plotted are naturally radioactive, that is, their nuclei fall apart over time. Which two do
you think they are? What is your reasoning?

6. Imagine a chemist was trying to create an atom with 60 protons and a mass number of 155. Would this be
possible? Why or why not? (SHOW where it would fall on the graph).

7. If an element had 90 protons, how many neutrons would be a good number for it to have in order to be
considered a stable element? What element would this be? (SHOW where it would fall on the graph).
Worksheet- Nuclear Decay
1. Instructions: Fill in the table below for each type of decay– alpha (α), beta (β), and gamma (Y)

Parent Particle New, Daughter Alpha, Beta, # of protons Change in


Isotope emitted isotope or gamma lost or gained mass number
Decay? by “parent”
226 4 222 Alpha Lost 2 minus 4
a. 88 Ra 2 He 86 Rn
214 4 210
b. 84 Po 2He 82 Pb
47 0 47
c. 20Ca 1 e 21 Sc
148 4 144
d. 64 Gd 2 He 62 Sm
14 0 14
e. 6 C 1 e 7 N
148 0 148
f. 64 Gd 0 Y 64 Gd
2. What changes take place in the nucleus when an alpha particle is emitted?

3. What is the identity of an alpha particle?

4. What changes take place in the nucleus when a beta particle is emitted?

5. Which particle is associated with beta decay?

6. Fill in the missing parts of these nuclear reactions: (numbers & elements)

a)
40
__ ___ 0
1 e 40
20 Ca b) ____ 4
2 He 226
88 Ra 35
C) 14 Si 0
1 e ___
238 4 110 106 0 140 140
U He ____ e) 53 I ____ Sb Y f) 56 Ba _____ 57 La
d) 92 2
51 0

7. Write equations for: a) The alpha (α) decay of radon- 198 _________  _________ + _________

b) The beta (β) decay of uranium-237 _________  _________ + _________

c) Plutonium- 244 undergoes gamma decay _________  _________ + _________

8. Does the identity of an atom change during radioactive decay? Why or why not?

9. How does the “Law of Conservation of Matter” explain how you write nuclear equations?

10. List the 3 types of radiation (α, β, γ) in order from least penetrating to most penetrating.

11. Why would you expect alpha particles to be less able to penetrate materials than beta?

12. Why are alpha particles and beta particles deflected in opposite directions in an electric field? Why are
gamma rays not deflected?

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