Nuclear Equations

Question 1

What happens in Alpha decay?

Answer 1

The nuclei emits two protons and two neutrons

Mass and charge is conserved

Question 2

What is an example equation for Alpha Decay?

Answer 2

240 236 4
Pu -> U + He
98 92 2

Question 3

What happens in Beta Decay?

Answer 3

A neutron decays to a proton and an electron
The number of neutrons goes down by 1, the number of protons goes up by 1
Charge and Mass stays the same

Question 4

What is an example equation for Beta Decay?

Answer 4

14 14 0
C -> N + e
6 7 -1

Question 5

What happens in Gamma Decay?

Answer 5

Gamma rays don’t have mass or charge so atomic and mass number stay the same.

Question 6

What happens in Alpha Decay atomic and mass number wise?

Answer 6

Mass number goes down by 4

Atomic number goes down by 2

Question 7

What happens in Beta Decay atomic and mass number wise?

Answer 7

Mass number stays same

Atomic number goes up by 1

Question 8

What happens in neutron emission?

Answer 8

An isotope of helium, Helium-5 decays by neutron emission, charge hasn’t changed, it is the same element but the nucleus is now more stable

Question 9

What is an example equation of Neutron emission?

Answer 9

5 4 1
He -> He + n
2 2 0