Question

What are the correct mass and charge numbers for the following five products of radioactive decay: (a) a neutron (b) an α- particle (c) a positron (d) a photon (e) a β- ray

Answer 1

Radioactive decay is defined as the disintegration of an unstable nucleus accompanied by the release of energy.

The different types of radioactive decay are: alpha decay, beta decay, gamma decay; which are accompanied by the release of photons or other subatomic particles.

The mass number (A) and charge number (Z) of the following products of radioactive decay are:

(a) a neutron :
`_(0)^(1)\textrm{n}`

A - 1

Z - 0

(b) an α- particle:
`_(2)^(4)\textrm{He}`

A - 4

Z - (+2)

(c) a positron :
`_(+1)^(0)\textrm{\beta }`
`\beta`

A - 0

Z - (+1)

(d) a photon

A - 0

Z - 0

(e) a β- ray:
`_(-1)^(0)\textrm{\beta }`
`\beta`

A - 0

Z - (-1)