Question

Write the symbols and a balanced nuclear equation for the following:

a. Polonium -210 decays to give lead -206

b. Bismuth -211 decays by emitting an alpha particle

c. The product from b. emits a beta particle

d. When an alpha particle bombards aluminum -27, one product is silicon -30

Answer 1

I'll do the first one for you. The three things you keep in mind when doing these problems is
1. The subscripts must add up on the left and right.
2. The superscripts must add up on the left and right.
3. The identify of the element (X for example) is determined by the atomic number which you can find on the periodic table. (You can't find beta + or beta - or protons on the periodic table since these are not elements; you must know what those are)

The superscripts are mass numbers, the subscripts are atomic numbers.

²¹⁰₈₄Po ==>²⁰⁶₈₂Pb + X
All of the above is in the problem. All you need to do is to identify X.
210 mass number on the left and 206 on the right; therefore, X must have mass number of 4. Atomic number of 84 on the left and 82 on the right; therefore, the atomic number must be 2. Look on the periodic table and atomic number 2 is He; therefore, we write X as ⁴₂He
The others are done the same way; keep in mind charge and mass for beta +, beta -, protons, neutrons, etc.