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What element results if you add a pair of protons to the nucleus of mercury?
Wiki User
∙ 9y ago
Assuming that two neutrons and two electrons are also added, the atomic number would shift from 80 to 82, resulting in lead. If the neutrons or electrons were not added, it would be the radioactive isotope, lead-206.
Wiki User
∙ 9y ago
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When a nucleus decays what typically happens to the element?
After an element's nucleus decays, it becomes one or more different elements. The type of decay determines what the new element(s) will be. The type of decay the nucleus of an element will undergo depends on the particular isotope of the particular element in question. For example, alpha decay results in an new element which has 2 less protons and 2 less neutrons (decrease in atomic number of 2 and decrease in mass number of 4). Fission results in an element splitting into two new elements of various sizes, accompanied by the release of other random particles. The two new "daughter" element's masses plus the masses of the other released particles will add up (approximately) to the mass of the original element. There are many other types of decay which produce different decay products.
Why do positron emission and electron capture have the same effect on a nucleus?
The reason positron emission and electron capture have the same effect on the nucleus of an atom is because the resulting atom undergoes nuclear transformation, and the new element will have one less proton and one more neutron than the precursor element. Both of these nuclear changes are interesting, so let's look a bit more closely. In positron emission (also called beta plus decay), a proton in the nucleus of an atom "changes" into a neutron and a positron is ejected. This results in one less proton in that nucleus (naturally), and the creation of a new element. And because the proton had become a neutron, the nucleus has the same number of nucleons and a similar atomic weight. In electron capture, a nucleus with "too many" protons will actually "pull in" an electron and take it into its nucleus. This electron will "combine" with a proton, and a neutron will result. This will reduce the number of protons in the nucleus, and the creation of a new element -- just like in positron emission. Links to related questions can be found below.
The process of positron emission results in a change to the atomic nucleus. Is that change a decrease of 1 or a decrease of 2 or an increase of 1 or is there no change?
In positron emission, atomic number decreases by one. That's because a proton in the nucleus of the element that is about to undergo positron emission changes into a neutron. This is beta plus decay, by the way. You'll recall that the atomic number of an element, which is that element's chemical identity, is determined solely by the number of protons in the nucleus. If we "lose" a proton because it changes into a neutron, atomic number will now decrease by one. Check out the links below to related posts.
What radiation results in the greatest change in atomic number?
Setting aside spontaneous fission, which is the natural "splitting" of an atom into fissin fragments, it is alpha decay that results in the greatest change in atomic number. The alpha particle carries off a helium-4 nucleus, which is a pair of protons and a pair of neutrons. Atomic number of an element involved in an alpha decay goes down by two.
What subatomic particle makes an element unique?
The number of protons is unique for every element.Varying the number of neutrons will give you an isotope of the same element.Varying the number of electrons will give you an ion of the same element.
Why atomic mass is always greater than atomic number?
Atomic number indicates the number of protons in the nucleus of a given element, whereas atomic mass results from protons and neutrons.
Which changes in beta decay mass number or the charge of the nucleus?
Beta decay results in either an increase or decrease in the number of protons, which results in a change in the nuclear charge and produces an atom of a different element.
What part of the atom reveals the chemical identity of a element?
The atomic number defines an atom's identity, i.e. element. A group of atoms contatining the same number of protons in their nuclei belong to the same element even if they can have different numbers of neutrons or electrons associated with them. If two atoms have the same number of protons but different number of neutrons, they are called isotopes. If an atom has less or more electrons than its number of protons, it is known as an ion. In certain instances during radioactive decay, the number of protons in an atom's nucleus can actually change. This results in a transmutation (change of one element to another).
What results in radioactive decay causes loss of one or more protons?
a new element is formed
The central part of an atom is called the?
The atom is made up of the nucleus (neutrons and protons) and electrons.
When a nucleus decays what typically happens to the element?
After an element's nucleus decays, it becomes one or more different elements. The type of decay determines what the new element(s) will be. The type of decay the nucleus of an element will undergo depends on the particular isotope of the particular element in question. For example, alpha decay results in an new element which has 2 less protons and 2 less neutrons (decrease in atomic number of 2 and decrease in mass number of 4). Fission results in an element splitting into two new elements of various sizes, accompanied by the release of other random particles. The two new "daughter" element's masses plus the masses of the other released particles will add up (approximately) to the mass of the original element. There are many other types of decay which produce different decay products.
What results when radioactive decay causes loss or one more protons?
A new Element is formed -Shakainn👌
What actually decays in radioactive decay?
The nucleus of the atom decays, and in the process, the nucleus transforms into another element, or into an isotope or isomer of the same element. In radioactive decay, the nucleus always emits some kind of particle(s). It is the high-energy emission of these particles that we call radiation. There are many different types of radioactive decay:Alpha decay results in the emission of an alpha particle (two neutrons and two protons)Beta decay results in the emission of a beta particle (an electron or a positron)Neutron decay results in the emission of a neutronProton decay results in the emission of a protonGamma decay results in the emission of a gamma particle (a photon)Neutrino decay results in the emission of a neutrino or antineutrinoIn some cases, a combination of the above emissions takes place. For example in double beta decay, a single nucleus emits two electrons and two antineutrinos in the same event.
An equal number of protons and neutrons typically results in an atom that is?
Often, but not always, atoms with an equal number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus are stable and not radioactive.
What is the number of protons plus the number of electrons?
The number of protons plus the number of electrons isn't a recognized figure in chemistry. The number of protons is the atomic number of an element. The number of electrons is the same as the number of protons except when the element is an ion. An ionic compound results in one or more electrons moving from one element to another element. Although this is a simplification, it can be described as the atom gaining or losing electrons. The number of protons plus the number of neutrons is the atomic weight of an element.
Why do positron emission and electron capture have the same effect on a nucleus?
The reason positron emission and electron capture have the same effect on the nucleus of an atom is because the resulting atom undergoes nuclear transformation, and the new element will have one less proton and one more neutron than the precursor element. Both of these nuclear changes are interesting, so let's look a bit more closely. In positron emission (also called beta plus decay), a proton in the nucleus of an atom "changes" into a neutron and a positron is ejected. This results in one less proton in that nucleus (naturally), and the creation of a new element. And because the proton had become a neutron, the nucleus has the same number of nucleons and a similar atomic weight. In electron capture, a nucleus with "too many" protons will actually "pull in" an electron and take it into its nucleus. This electron will "combine" with a proton, and a neutron will result. This will reduce the number of protons in the nucleus, and the creation of a new element -- just like in positron emission. Links to related questions can be found below.
Why does an atom suddenly decay?
An atom is a natural structure that has protons and neutrons bound (fused) together in a nucleus, and electrons orbiting in energy levels about it. Different combinations of protons and neutrons create different elements or different isotopes of a given element. In any case, when we look across different combinations of protons and neutrons in atomic nuclei, there are instances where atomic instability results when a given combination has been made. There are, quite simply, some combinations of protons and neutrons that are "unacceptable" to the protons and neutrons that make up that combination. This is an unstable atomic nucleus, and it is radioactive. It will eventually decay by some means, and all because that nucleus is unstable and is seeking to "get rid" of the instability by undergoing radioactive decay. The nucleus is attempting to change into a stable form, and if the decay product is another unstable form, then another radioactive decay will eventually occur. And so on until the "end product" is a stable isotope of some element.
