Chapter 15 Overview

The ancient alchemist dreamed of changing one element into another, such as lead into gold. The alchemist was never successful, however, because such changes were attempted with chemical reactions. Chemical reactions are reactions that involve only the electrons of atoms. Electrons are shared or transferred in chemical reactions, and the internal nucleus of the atom is unchanged. Elements thus retain their identity during the sharing or transferring of electrons. This chapter is concerned with a different kind of reaction, one that involves the nucleus of the atom. In nuclear reactions, the nucleus of the atom is often altered, changing the identity of the elements involved. The ancient alchemist's dream of changing one element into another was actually a dream of achieving a nuclear change, that is, a nuclear reaction.

Understanding nuclear reactions is important because although fossil fuels are the major source of energy today, there are growing concerns about (1) air pollution from fossil fuel combustion, (2) increasing levels of CO₂ from fossil fuel combustion, which may be warming the earth (the greenhouse effect), and (3) the dwindling fossil fuel supply itself, which cannot last forever. Energy experts see nuclear energy as a means of meeting rising energy demands in an environmentally acceptable way. However, the topic of nuclear energy is controversial, and discussions of it often result in strong emotional responses. Decisions about the use of nuclear energy require some understandings about nuclear reactions and some facts about radioactivity and radioactive materials (Figure 15.1). These understandings and facts are the topics of this chapter.