Artificial Transmutation Uses

Introduction

Artificial Transmutation is the process in which one element changes into another element in decay artificially. This conversion may be natural or artificial. In Artificial Transmutation one element is changed into another element by bombarding fundamental particles like an alpha particle, proton neutron, deuteron, etc.

An unstable nucleus undergoes the natural transmutation process but in artificial transmutation, the atoms of the element are encountered with the fundamental particle and form a new element in the decay process. Now let's understand all the terminology related to the artificial transmutation in detail in this article.

What is Artificial Transmutation?

Transmutation is the process in which one element converts into another element through a decay process. Artificial transmutation is not a natural process. It is the process in which one element is transformed into another element artificially with the help of a fundamental element. Therefore, a new artificial element was created in this conversion.

Definition − When a stable nucleus of an element is bombarded with some subatomic particle or fundamental elements then this nucleus becomes unstable and undergoes decay and leads to the form new nuclei or new elements. This can be understood with a diagram which is below

Who Discovered Artificial Transmutation?

Ernest Rutherford performed the first artificial transmutation in 1919. In this nitrogen gas is exposed to fundamental particle alpha. So that some alpha particles are absorbed by the nitrogen gas nuclei. Oxygen is produced as the first artificial element produced in the process of artificial transmutation

Process of Artificial Transmutation

In this process the fundamental elements which have nuclei like alpha particles, deuteron protons, etc. are projected towards the main or target element so that a new artificial element is formed.

We mainly use neutrons as fundamental particles in the artificial transmutation because it has no charge. In this process, the speed of the projectile particle (neutron) concluded the formation of resultant elements. In nuclear decay, the slow neutron is more impactful or effective and it is also known as the thermal neutron.

If the bombardment of a projectile neutron is slow means the speed of the neutron is slow then it only penetrates the nucleus of the main element. And if the speed of the neutron is high then it passes through the nucleus of the target element. In this process, a new artificial element is formed at last.

Examples of Artificial Transmutation

• By bombarding a fundamental alpha particle to the nitrogen nucleus then this nitrogen transformed into oxygen.

• Same as by combining the nucleus of aluminium with an alpha particle (fundamental element), an aluminium atom is changed into phosphorus and a neutron is produced as part of the transformation in this artificial transmutation.

• When neutrons are bombarded to the Uranium-28 then as a result Uranium-239 is formed and it is a very unstable nucleus so it also decays into the neptunium nucleus and during this decay beta particle are produced.

Artificial Transmutation Equation

Artificial transmutation equation is an equation that represents the conversion of one element to another element. The left side of the equation contains the target element which has to be converted with the fundamental particle and the right side of the equation involves the final element.

The conservation of nucleons and charge is followed in the artificial transmutation equation. The sum of the charges on the left side is equal to the sum of charges on the right side should be equal in reaction.

For example − when a fundamental particle neutron is bombarded on uranium 238 it is converted into uranium 239. and it again decays in the neptunium nucleus with beta particle emission due to instability.

$$\mathrm{U_{92}^{238}+n_0^1→U_{92}^{239}→Np_{93}^{239}+n_{-1}^0}$$

Another example in which an alpha particle (bullet) hits the target nucleus of the original isotope aluminium or creates the phosphorus as a result of the neutron.

$$\mathrm{Al_{13}^{27}+He_{2}^{4}→P_{15}^{30}+n_{0}^{1}}$$

Artificial Transmutation Chemistry

The resulting radioactive isotopes in the transmutation process are called tracer elements. These elements are useful in the medical field for the study of effects on the environment.

Radioactivity waste can be managed with the help of a transmutation process so that the harmful effects of radioactive waste in nuclear processes can be reduced. The nuclei which have significant half-life undergo the nuclear fission reaction with help of fast neutrons. By this, we can reduce the half-lives of the isotopes of radioactive material which have thousands of years as a half-life.

Difference Between Artificial Transmutation and Artificial Radioactivity

S.No	Artificial Transmutation	Artificial Radioactivity
1.	Transmutation is the chemical process in which there is a change in the structures of atoms. So that conversion of one chemical element to another or different chemical element	Radioactivity is a process of nuclear decay that forms the new elements. In artificial radioactivity, a nonradioactive material that is stable is converted into unstable.radioactive material.
2.	In transmutation, an electron is emitted that is called a beta particle.	In artificial radioactivity, element particles like neutron positrons are emitted.

Table-1: Difference between Artificial Transmutation and Artificial Radioactivity

Conclusion

In this article we have understood the concept of artificial transmutation in which one element is converted into another with the help of fundamental particles like Proton (H₁¹) Deuteron ( H₁³ ) Neutron ( n₀¹ ) and α-particle ( He₂⁴ ). Out of these fundamental particles, the neutron is the best projectile particle because it has no charge. Other fundamental particles have positively charged nuclei so they repel the target nucleus so they are less effective fundamental particles for projection.

The first Artificial transmutation was performed in which an alpha particle was hit on the neutron and it was converted into oxygen. Artificial transmutation is different from natural transmutation because it goes in an artificial way and we also understand artificial transmutation processes with the help of examples at last. So therefore, it is possible to create new atoms by collisions of other atoms with nuclei or high-speed fundamental particles. And the resultant particles of the transmutation process can be stable or unstable particles.

FAQs

1. How many types of transmutation can occur?

There are two types of transmutation − one is natural transmutation in which positron beta alpha particles are emitted. Another type is artificial transmutation in which we bombarded high-energy particles to the nucleus for the change for example collision of charged particles like proton or alpha particle with target nuclei or a neutron hit towards the target nucleus.

2. What condition is required for the occurrence of artificial transmutation?

Artificial transmutation process occurs Whenever an element is struck with the fundamental particles.

3. What is nuclear decay and how is it different from artificial transmutation?

Nuclear decay is the process of decaying the nucleus to its constituent elements naturally. But artificial transmutation is the process that occurs artificially.

4. What do you understand about transuranic elements?

Transuranic elements are created artificially not transformed naturally and these elements greater than proton number 92 exist in nature.

5. What do you mean by radioactive isotope?

A radioactive isotope is the same element which has the same atomic number (same element) but has different masses and whose nuclei are not stable so that there is the emission of alpha-beta and gamma decay spontaneously. These are also known as radioactive nuclides and radionuclides.