Definition of nuclear chemistry - What it is, Meaning and Concept

The chemistry is a science dedicated to analyzing the modifications, properties, composition and structure of matter.Considered as an evolution of the alchemy of antiquity, today chemistry is oriented to various specialties, each with a specific object of study.

You can talk about the organic chemistry , the inorganic chemistry , the biological chemistry and the analytical chemistry , among other branches.On this occasion, we will focus on the nuclear chemistry , which it guides the reactions that take place in the nucleus of an atom .

This means that, within the scope of study of nuclear chemistry, are the fusion nuclear , nuclear fission and radioactivity .Knowledge of this branch of chemistry is very important in different industries, such as the energy sector, medicine and food.

Nuclear chemistry, in short, studies the changes that occur naturally or artificially in the nucleus of a atom .It also analyzes the chemical-type reactions that radioactive substances have.

Among the radioactive substances that interest nuclear chemistry are the following:

* the radon : a chemical element that is part of the noble gases, a group with properties such that their atoms are not linked together (they are monoatomic ), they are odorless, their chemical reactivity is very low and they are colorless.The radon is also insipid in its gaseous form.As a solid it is not colorless, but has a reddish appearance.Its symbol in the periodic table is Rn and its atomic number, 86;

* the radius : this element is recognized in the periodic table for having the atomic number 88 and represented with the symbol Ra .It has a clear white color, when it is exposed to the air it tends to blacken.This alkaline earth metal (group to which calcium, magnesium, strontium, barium and beryllium also belong), is considerably radioactive and found in uranium mines;

* actinides : it is a group of elements also known as actinoides , which belong to the rare earths and they are called of internal transition , in the same way as lanthanides.They receive their name from actinium, the first of the fifteen chemical elements that are part of this group, the latter being lawrencio (with atomic numbers from 89 through 103).All of them have similar characteristics, although those with higher atomic numbers are not part of nature and their life cycle is half short.

On the other hand, it is necessary to use special equipment , and an example well known to all is the nuclear reactors , devices in which it is possible to generate a nuclear reaction in The chain must be carried out in a controlled manner and can be used to obtain energy at nuclear power plants , p It was also used to produce fissile-type materials, such as plutonium , which in turn is used in the manufacture of ships, nuclear weapons and satellites, or for research purposes.As expected, in A nuclear power plant usually has more than one reactor.

Thanks to nuclear chemistry and nuclear physics , the human being has managed to take advantage of nuclear energy for various purposes.This kind of energy is released from the fusion or fission of atomic nuclei, processes that can be induced in a nuclear power plant.

The immense amount of energy that is released in these processes forces nuclear power plants to have important safety mechanisms, since eventual accidents can be devastating.