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17 votes
17 votes
How do I predict the product of a nuclear reaction.

User Nir Hedvat
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1 Answer

20 votes
20 votes

In the 1st reaction, ⁴²K undergoes beta decay. Therefore the resulting element will have 1 more proton than ⁴²K.

Therefore, the mass number of the new particle is 42.

The atomic number of potassium is 19.

Therefore the atomic number of the new element will be 19+1=20.

Therefore the new element is Calcium.

Therefore the reaction is,


^(42)_(19)K\rightarrow^0_(-1)e+^(42)_(20)Ca_{}^{}

User Diggersworld
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