Balancing Nuclear Equations
1.
Balance the following nuclear equations:
a. Magnesium-23 undergoes electron capture:
23
12
Mg
0
"1
+
e
_________
b. Iron-60 undergoes beta-particle decay:
60
26
!
Fe
!
__________
+
__________
c. Iodine-131 undergoes beta-particle decay:
131
53
!
I
__________
+
__________
+
__________
d. Yttrium-87 undergoes positron emission:
87
39
Y
!
__________
e. Polonium-194 undergoes alpha-particle decay:
194
84
!
Po
__________
+
__________
f. Nitrogen-13 undergoes electron capture:
13
7
!
2.
N
+
__________
_________
What would be the products of the following decay processes. Write the isotopic symbol.
a. positron emission by barium-126:
!
b. alpha particle decay by thallium-224:
c. alpha-particle decay by neptunium-226
d. electron capture by beryllium-7:
e. positron emission by technitium-96
f. alpha-particle decay by americium-237
3.
As discussed earlier, the neutron/proton ratio provides a good predictor of the stability of a nuclide.
How do each of the following nuclear changes effect the N/P ratio (increase, decrease, no effect)?
a. alpha-particle decay:
The N/P ratio
b. beta-particle decay:
The N/P ratio
o
4.
c. gamma-ray ( o " ) production:
The N/P ratio
d. electron capture:
The N/P ratio
e. positron emission:
The N/P ratio
!
Consider the following radioisotopes. Predict which decay process they would likely undergo.
a. oxygen-18
α-decay
β-decay
electron capture
b. oxygen-14
α-decay
β-decay
electron capture
c. boron-8
α-decay
β-decay
electron capture
d. silicon-27
α-decay
β-decay
electron capture