Final answer:
The missing particle in the nuclear reaction 7N₁₄ + ____ → 6C₁₄ + 1H is a neutron (0n₁). The addition of a neutron to nitrogen-14 results in carbon-14 and hydrogen, which balances the equation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is looking to identify the missing particle in the given nuclear reaction equation:
7N₁₄ + ____ → 6C₁₄ + 1H
The missing particle is a neutron (0n₁). When a neutron strikes a nitrogen-14 nucleus, it can transform into a carbon-14 nucleus and a hydrogen atom (1H). This type of nuclear reaction is common in carbon dating techniques. In nuclear reactions, balancing the atomic numbers and mass numbers on both sides of the equation is essential. Adding a neutron balances the equation by maintaining the mass number on the reactant side (7N₁₄ has a mass number of 14, and 0n₁ doesn’t change it), while allowing for one proton to be emitted in the form of hydrogen (1H).
The balanced nuclear equation is:
7N₁₄ + 0n₁ → 6C₁₄ + 1H