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The number of protons decreases by 2.

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Q: What happens to the number of protons when U-238 emits an alpha particle?
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What is the change in the atomic number when the atom emits an alpha particle?

The atomic number will decrease by 2, the number of protons in the emitted alpha particle. An alpha particle is a helium-4 nuclei with two protons and two neutrons.


The number of protons plus neutrons in an alpha particle?

2 protons and 2 neutrons. An alpha particle is the same as a helium nucleus.


Does alpha decay always decreases the number of protons by an even number?

Yes, an alpha radiation particle is 2 protons and 2 neutrons so for every alpha particle emitted the radioactive nuclide loses 2 protons.


What element has the same number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus as an alpha particle?

An alpha particle has 2 protons and 2 neutrons. That is the same as a helium nucleus.


What happens to atomic number and atomic mass of an atom that emits alpha particle?

An alpha particle is a positively charged nuclear particle consisting of two protons bound to two neutrons. The atomic number of an atom decreases by 2 and the mass number decreases by approximately 4 when an alpha particle is ejected.


What neutrons are in an alpha particle?

A nucleon is the amount of protons and neutrons. An alpha particle has an atomic number of 2 and a atomic mass of 4 then it has 2 protons and 2 neutrons.There are 4 nucleons in an alpha particle.


What happens to the atomic number when an alpha particle is given off?

Alpha emission in an atom reduces its atomic number by two. A link can be found below to the related question about what alpha decay is.


What happens when you change the number of protons electrons or neutrons?

You get a different atom. This happens to 238Uranium as it gives off alpha radiation (two protons and two neutrons).The Alpha particle is essentially a Helium nucleus. The substance remaining is no longer 238Uranium but has become 234Thorium.


What type of radioactive particle has 2 protons?

An alpha particle has two protons.


When an unstable nucleus produces an alpha particle by how many units does the atomic number of the nucleus change?

An alpha particle is a helium nucleus, which consists of 2 protons and 2 neutrons. When an unstable nucleus emits an alpha particle, it loses 2 protons, which means its atomic number will be reduced by 2.


What happens when an unstable nucleus decays via alpha radiation?

mass number decreases by 4atomic number decreases by 2the nuclei recoil quite strongly (compared to other modes of decay) due to the large mass of the alpha particle


How does radioactivity create new elements?

One way that elements decay is by alpha-emission. That means that the nucleus of the atom spews out alpha particles. An alpha particle is made of two protons and two neutrons, like a helium nucleus. Of course, once an alpha particle is emitted, the number of protons in the nucleus decreases, and the element changes with the number of protons.