A nucleus of a radioactive element emits an -particle, then a – particle and then another– particle.Which statement describes the final element that is produced?A It is a different element of higher proton number than the original element.B It is a different element of lower nucleon number than the original element.C It is an isotope of the original element.D It is the same element as the original element but with a different proton number.
Question
A nucleus of a radioactive element emits an -particle, then a – particle and then another– particle.Which statement describes the final element that is produced?A It is a different element of higher proton number than the original element.B It is a different element of lower nucleon number than the original element.C It is an isotope of the original element.D It is the same element as the original element but with a different proton number.
Solution
The final element produced is a different element of higher proton number than the original element. Here's why:
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When a nucleus emits an alpha particle (which consists of 2 protons and 2 neutrons), its atomic number decreases by 2 and its mass number decreases by 4. This means the element changes, and it moves two places back in the periodic table.
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When a nucleus emits a beta particle (which is essentially an electron), a neutron in the nucleus is converted into a proton. This increases the atomic number by 1 (moving one place forward in the periodic table) but leaves the mass number unchanged.
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Since the nucleus in this question emits two beta particles after the alpha particle, the atomic number increases by 2 in total.
So, overall, after the emission of one alpha particle and two beta particles, the atomic number of the nucleus is the same as it was originally, but the mass number is 4 less than it was originally. Therefore, the final element is a different element (because the number of protons, and hence the atomic number, has changed) with a higher proton number than the original element. So, the correct answer is A.
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