Question

Two radioactive nuclei are represented by _xA^p and _yA^q and when p and q are mass numbers and x, y are the atomic number. How can the products be represented, i .e., what are the new values of p, q. x and y after the emission of an α-particle and a β-particle from A and B respectively.

Answer 1

(i) \[\ce{_a^pA->[α-paricles][He_2^4] _{a-2}^{p-4}A}\]

Its mass number decreases by 4 and atomic number decreases by 2.

(ii) \[\ce{_y^qB ->[β-particles]_{y+1}^qB}\]

Its mass number remains the same but the atomic number increases by 1.