Question

State giving reasons, whether the following nuclear mutation is possible or not. (Star indicates an excited state)

\({ }_{\mathrm{Z}} \mathrm{X}^{\mathrm{A}} \longrightarrow{ }_{\mathrm{Z}-2} \mathrm{X}_{1}{ }^{\mathrm{A}-4}+{ }_{2} \mathrm{He}^{4}\)

Answer 1

This mutation is possible. It is alpha decay. The nucleus emits an alpha particle \(\left({}_{2}\mathrm{He}^{4}\right)\), so the mass number decreases by 4 and the atomic number decreases by 2. Both the mass number and the atomic number are balanced on both sides, and a new element X₁ is formed.