The Physics
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Opus in profectus

Radioactive Decay

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Problems

practice

  1. Write something.
  2. Write something.
  3. Write something.
  4. Write something completely different.

conceptual

  1. Certain heavy, unstable nuclei will eject a helium nucleus (also known as an alpha particle) in a process known as alpha decay. The following nuclei undergo alpha decay. Write these reactions out in symbolic form.
    1. 23892U
    2. 20984Po
    3. 22688Ra
    4. the daughter nucleus from part c.
    5. the daughter nucleus from part d.
  2. In certain unstable nuclei, a neutron will transmute into a proton, an electron, and an electron antineutrino. The proton remains in the nucleus and the electron (also known as a beta particle) and electron antineutrino (often just called a neutrino) are both ejected from the nucleus. The following nuclei undergo beta decay. Write these reactions out in symbolic form.
    1. 146C
    2. 20982Pb
    3. 31H
  3. Some nuclei become excited (or metastable) during nuclear reactions. When they return to their ground state they emit a highly energetic photon (a gamma ray photon). The following metastable nuclei undergo gamma decay. Write these reactions out in symbolic form.
    1. 27m13Al
    2. 87m30Sr
    3. 99m43Tc