Answer the following questions with at least 100 words per question.
1. What are the two principal differences between nuclear reactions and ordinary chemical changes?
2. How does nuclear fission differ from nuclear fusion? Why are both of these processes exothermic?
3. What is the band of stability and why is it important?
4. Write a brief description or definition of three or four of each of the following (after about 5 posts - other students elaborate on one of the points a-h):
a. Nucleon
b. α particle
c. β particle
d. Positron
e. g ray
f. Nuclide
g. Mass number
h. Atomic number
5. Many nuclides with atomic numbers greater than 83 decay by processes such as electron emission. Explain the observation that the emissions from these unstable nuclides also normally include α particles. Why is electron capture accompanied by the emission of an X-ray?