The Chemistry Book

In 1919, Ernest Rutherford became the first scientist to discover nuclear transformation ^[1]. Rutherford changed one element into another by bombarding nitrogen-14 with an alpha particle, resulting in oxygen-17. In 1933, Irene Curie and Fredrick Joliot, a French couple, were second persons to witness a nuclear transformation. In 1934, Enrico Fermi demonstrated that nuclear transformation occurs in almost every element subjected to neutron bombardment. ^[2] These men and women have greatly advanced the field of nuclear transformation and have allowed many advances in the field of chemistry that had never even been thought of before.

^[3] Nuclear transformation is "the change of one element to another" ^[4]. In nuclear transformation there is spontaneous nuclear transformation and artificial radioactivity. A spontaneous nuclear transformation is when the nuclei of an isotope becomes a completely different nuclei. Artificial radioactivity is when the alpha particle or neutron bombards a nucleus of an atom and changes the nucleus into a different element. When alpha particles are used during artificial radioactivity, the positive charge in the bombarding ions is repelled by the positive charge in the nucleus and must then move at high speeds to get to the nucleus. The alpha particles change atomic number and the atomic mass of the new element.

Rutherford's Original Experiment

Ernest Rutherford's experiment began in 1919. "He bombarded nitrogen gas with alpha particles". Rutherford found that the protons were produced in the reaction. From that he concluded that alpha particles had actually entered the nitrogen's nucleus, then threw out a proton, in which leaving oxygen's nucleus ^{[5] [6]}.

See Also

Ernest Rutherford (1871 - death year) now list accomplishments. This opening paragraph should be 5-6 sentences with citations.

Further Experimentation

Irene Curie and Fredrick Joliot were the second persons to discover nuclear transformation. In 1933, they "bombarded light elements with alpha particles from a radioactive source". The actual experiment consisted of bombarding the aluminum with alpha particles. After not bombarding it, the aluminum was giving off its own particles. Although the experiment began with aluminum-27, it ended with phosphorous-30 which was thought to be an artificial isotope. When scientists bombard elements, new elements greater than uranium are made. Those elements are known as Tran-Uranium Elements. Enrico Fermi, an Italian physicist, experimented with neutron bombardment. Fermi found that a beam of neutrons was effective in starting nuclear reactions if it passed through water of paraffin ^[7]. The lighter atoms in those compounds then absorbed the neutron's energy without absorbing the actual neutrons. ^[8] The neutrons were then slowed down so much that they moved at the same speed as molecules at room temperature.

Another particle used to bombard the nuclei is the neutron ^[9]. Since the neutron is unchanged and not repelled by the nucleus of an atom, it is absorbed by the nucleus and creates a new element ^[10]. Nuclear transformation is also used in nuclear fission. Due to this, artificial radioactivity is not made by neutrons, because they are east captured by stable nuclei. Neutrons do not make artificial radioactivity because elements become heavier isotopes. If the neutron were to break and give off a beta particle, then it might be radioactive. Beta decay makes the nuclear transformation artificial radioactivity, because the beta particle follows the captured neutron to make the new element. Beta decay has been used to add elements previously missing from the periodic table. All the discoveries have led to the discovery of new elements and along with that new knowledge.

Modern Nuclear Trnasformations

Nuclear Transformations have been used in modern times for two main reasons; weapons and a new energy source. Scientist have been trying to harness nuclear energy that is extracted from nuclear transformations into a new power source and from that power create weapons of mass destrution and, or, defenses. Of course, this great power is not very stable and is feared "that a powerful and rapid conversion of matter to energy could result from the fission phenomenon" ^[11].

References

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