Nuclear Reactions

en · official · sha256:d7c7685b7c595756dc7ee994630cedc825ed81a0228f3f2bde153992a43d965f

<definition id="fs-id1170903902083"> <term>alpha decay</term> <meaning id="fs-id1170904141085">radioactive nuclear decay associated with the emission of an alpha particle</meaning> </definition>

Referencing norms: AlphaDaughterRefuted, AlphaDecayDropsTwoAndFour, NucleonNumberNotConservedRefutes, ReactionBalances, alpha_decay, charge_after, charge_before, nucleons_after, nucleons_before

en · official · sha256:5df552c1ce1372ea414239b263b713497bcd406c118863bf3b4abb77a4c5cff3

<para id="fs-id1170902134536">Heavy unstable nuclei emit <m:math><m:mi>α</m:mi></m:math> radiation. In <m:math><m:mi>α</m:mi></m:math>-particle decay (or <term id="term-00006">alpha decay</term>), the nucleus loses two protons and two neutrons, so the atomic number decreases by two, whereas its mass number decreases by four. Before the decay, the nucleus is called the <term id="term-00007">parent nucleus</term>. The nucleus or nuclei produced in the decay are referred to as the <term id="term-00008">daughter nucleus</term> or daughter nuclei. We represent an <m:math><m:mi>α</m:mi></m:math> decay symbolically by</para>

en · official · sha256:8957d93115194d10536bd7d265494247d54d5b7d66d454cc9f5e3f75eef0af14

<definition id="fs-id1170904203953"> <term>beta decay</term> <meaning id="fs-id1170902196220">radioactive nuclear decay associated with the emission of a beta particle</meaning> </definition>

Referencing norms: BetaMinusDecayRaisesZKeepsA, ChargeNotConservedRefutes, beta_minus_decay

en · official · sha256:7577e182f9b8b2667200e2928cf9b880e957a874293bb1573ef56234cfc1b3d8

<para id="fs-id1170903881364">The neutron number for Radium-228 is 140, so it is found in the diagram at the coordinates <m:math><m:mrow><m:mrow><m:mo>(</m:mo><m:mrow><m:mi>N</m:mi><m:mo>,</m:mo><m:mi>Z</m:mi></m:mrow><m:mo>)</m:mo></m:mrow><m:mo>=</m:mo><m:mrow><m:mo>(</m:mo><m:mrow><m:mn>140</m:mn><m:mo>,</m:mo><m:mn>88</m:mn></m:mrow><m:mo>)</m:mo></m:mrow><m:mo>.</m:mo></m:mrow></m:math> Radium-228 is also unstable and decays by <m:math><m:mrow><m:msup><m:mi>β</m:mi><m:mo>−</m:mo></m:msup></m:mrow></m:math> emission with a half-life of 5.76 years to Actinum-228. The atomic number increases by 1, the mass number remains the same, and the neutron number decreases by 1. Notice that in the graph, <m:math><m:mi>α</m:mi></m:math> emission appears as a line sloping downward to the left, with both <emphasis effect="italics">N</emphasis> and <emphasis effect="italics">Z</emphasis> decreasing by 2. Beta emission, on the other hand, appears as a line sloping downward to the right with <emphasis effect="italics">N</emphasis> decreasing by 1, and <emphasis effect="italics">Z</emphasis> increasing by 1. After several additional alpha and beta decays, the series ends with the stable nucleus Pb-208.</para>

en · official · sha256:ed866f646680ab329273c84edd730973f87f941c8db6849e67e0ddce2bef6a94

<definition id="fs-id1170902148314"> <term>daughter nucleus</term> <meaning id="fs-id1170904267487">nucleus produced by the decay of a parent nucleus</meaning> </definition>

Referencing norms: claimed_daughter

en · official · sha256:70eb29b5761ddc9d1452caa776f6ad77b593453cc0aaa2cffc7228a40156059f

<definition id="fs-id1170902210982"> <term>gamma decay</term> <meaning id="fs-id1170902143215">radioactive nuclear decay associated with the emission of gamma radiation</meaning> </definition>

Referencing norms: GammaDecayChangesNeither, gamma_decay

en · official · sha256:a4c3a4d23670843ebba44ba208a64ac44bdc01061698a6f0910028a531da13ff

<definition id="fs-id1170902159437"> <term>parent nucleus</term> <meaning id="fs-id1170902057436">original nucleus before decay</meaning> </definition>

Referencing norms: parent_of