Asked by kelvin calin

Which change occurs when an atom undergoes alpha decay?

The nucleus loses mass and a new element is produced.
The nucleus gains a proton and a new element is produced.
The nucleus loses energy and remains the same element.
The nucleus loses a neutron and remains the same element.

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
The nucleus loses mass and a new element is produced.

Explanation: Alpha decay emits an alpha particle (2 protons + 2 neutrons), so the original nucleus loses 4 units of mass number and 2 units of atomic number, producing a different element.