In alpha decay, an unstable nucleus emits an alpha particle, which consists of two protons and two neutrons, and results in the formation of a new nucleus.
When Radium-226 undergoes alpha decay, it loses two protons and two neutrons, in the form of an alpha particle. The new nucleus will have:
- Atomic number (Z) = Original atomic number - 2
- Mass number (A) = Original mass number - 4
Radium has an atomic number of 88, so the new nucleus will have an atomic number of 88 - 2 = 86. The new element with atomic number 86 is Radon (Rn).
Radium-226 has a massnumber of 226, so the new nucleus will have a mass number of 226 - 4 = 222. The new isotope will be Radon-222 (Rn-222).
So, the products of this nuclear reaction will be an alpha particle (He-4) and a Radon-222 nucleus (Rn-222).
The overall equation for this process can be written as:
Ra-226 → Rn-222 + α (He-4)
Radium-226 undergoes alpha decay. What will be the products of this nuclear reaction? Explain.
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