Learning Exercise

slide 1
Nuclear Chemistry
Radioactive Decay

slide 2
Nuclear Processes
Radioactive Decay
Fission
Fusion

slide 3
Nuclear Processes
Radioactive Decay
2 Q’s at start = half-life
http://www.walterfendt.de/ph14e/lawdecay.htm

slide 4
How can it be used?
Space Exploration!!!!!


JPL-NASA


How do they travel so far (energy for onboard systems)?


Slide 5
What types of energy are used?



One energy source is from RTGs onboard spacecraft

Slide 6
Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs)
[Image from JPL website of RTG]

slide 7
RTGs and Radioactive Decay
The RTGs power the spacecraft through the radioactive decay of plutonium-238.
[Image from JPL website of RTG]

slide 8
RTGs and Radioactive Decay
This decay emits heat, which is converted into electricity for the spacecraft to
"see, sense, hear, and speak."

This power supplies a reliable, long-lasting source of electricity which is
insensitive to the chilling cold of space and virtually invulnerable to high
radiation fields, such as Earth's Van Allen belts and Jupiter's magnetosphere.

slide 9
Radioactive Decay Questions
What does the process look like?
What’s a half-life?

slide 10
Radioactive Decay Answers!
First we visit http://www.walter-fendt.de/ph14e/lawdecay.htm
Next: New Lecture, New Page!