Nuclear Chemistry
The study of changes that occur in atomic nuclei and of the properties of radioactive substances.
Unit
Dimensionless
In depth
Nuclear reactions alter the nucleus itself, changing one element into another and releasing energies a million times greater than chemical reactions. They are unaffected by temperature, pressure, catalysts or chemical combination, since the electrons that govern chemistry play no part.
Examples in the real world
Power generation from uranium fission; radiocarbon dating; medical imaging with technetium-99m.