Name ______________________________________________ Period ___________
Nuclear Reactions
Write the balanced nuclear equations for the decay processes.
1. Magnesium-28 emits a beta particle.
2. Curium-242 experiences alpha decay.
Alpha particle: 𝜶
𝟎
−𝟏𝒆
Beta particle: 𝜷
𝟎
+𝟏𝒆
Positron:
𝟏
𝟎𝒏
Neutron: 𝒏
Proton:
𝟒
𝟐𝑯𝒆
𝒑
𝟏
𝟏𝑯
3. Ruthenium-106 undergoes beta decay.
Gamma Rays: 𝜸
𝟎
𝟎𝜸
4. Cesium-137 emits a beta particle.
REMEMBER:
Beta emission
→
5. Radium-226 emits an alpha particle.
Alpha Emission
6. Carbon-14 experiences beta decay.
7. Thorium-232 decays by emitting an alpha particle
8. Uranium-238 decays to produce thorium-234 and another particle.
9. Promethium-142 is bombarded with a beta particle.
10. Write the alpha decay of 231
91𝑃𝑎
11. Write the neutron capture of 63𝐿𝑖
12. Write the positron emission of 66
27𝐶𝑜
13. 63𝐿𝑖 + 10𝑛 →
14. 126𝐶 + 11𝐻 →
15. 105𝐵 + α →
16. 241
95𝐴𝑚 →
4
2𝐻𝑒
13
7𝑁
+ __________
+ __________
__________ +
237
93𝑁𝑝
13
7𝑁
+ __________
66
29𝐶𝑢
226
88𝑅𝑎
66
30𝑍𝑛
→
+ −10𝑒
222
86𝑅𝑛
+ 42𝐻𝑒
Uranium-238 is unstable and undergoes a long process to become a stable nucleus. Write
the nuclear reaction for uranium undergoing this reaction, then the daughter nucleus
undergoing the next reaction, etc…
238
92𝑈
238
92𝑈
→𝛼→𝛽→𝛽→𝛼→𝛼→𝛼→𝛼→𝛼→𝛽→𝛽→𝛼→𝛽→𝛽→𝛼
→ 42𝐻𝑒 +
234
90𝑇ℎ
→
0
−1𝑒
+ 234
91𝑃𝑎 etc…..
Or you can write it like this:
238
92𝑈
→𝛼 +
234
90𝑇ℎ
234
90𝑇ℎ
→ 𝛽 + 234
91𝑃𝑎