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What triggers an unstable nucleus to decay?
When a nucleus is unstable it has either too many or too few neutrons in the nucleus. This is what causes nuclear decay as the nucleus needs to have the correct ratio of neutrons to protons to be stable. It may be triggered by an outside force, such as a colliding particle, or simply by chance.
How is a stable nucleus different to an unstable nucleus?
A stable nucleus is one which will not decay, whereas an unstable nucleus will decay at some point, which cannot be predicted as decay is a random process, by alpha or beta decay.
Which of the following particles has the same mass as an electron but a positive charge and is sometimes emitted from the nucleus during radioactive decay?
A positron.
How can nuclear changes occur?
These can happen by fission where a nucleus splits into two parts on absorbing a neutron, or by radioactive decay.
What particles has the same mass as an electron but a positive charge and is sometimes emitted from the nucleus during radioactive decay?
Protons are rarely emitted, but a decay mode called positron decay is very common. The positron is the antiparticle of the electron and is exactly the same mass as the electron. It has charge +e.
How is the atomic number of a nucleus change by gamma decay?
In gamma decay ,nucleus lose a charge of -1 and the daughter nucleus has charge of Z+1.
A beta particle may be spontaneously emitted from?
Positrons are emitted from proton-rich radioactive during positive beta-decay.
What is it called when an atom gains or loses neutrons?
When an atom actually gains a neutron from outside it is called neutron capture. Atoms almost never emit neutrons (except when high energy processes happen). Most cases of "gain or loss" of neutrons by an atom happen entirely inside the nucleus, when the process of Beta decay converts a proton to or from a neutron.
Type of nuclear decay consisting of a helium nucleus?
Alpha decay. Alpha particles are the same as a helium-4 nucleus.
How does a nucleus change when beta decay of the nucleus occurs?
The atomic number increases by one unit when a beta decay occurs.
What is the nuclear decay equation for iridium 174?
There are two ways 174Ir can decay, alpha and positive beta, so there are two different equations. The equation for the alpha decay of 174Ir is: 77174Ir --> 75170Re + 24He representing the alpha particle as a helium nucleus. The equation for the beta+ decay of 174Ir is: 77174Ir --> 76174Os + 10e + ve wher 10e represents a positive beta particle or positron.
How does the nucleus of an atom change after beta decay?
There are two different kinds of beta decay, negative and positive. In negative beta decay, a neutron in the nucleus emits an electron and an electron antineutrino, becoming a proton in the process. This increases the atomic number of the atom by one, but it decreases the mass because the only thing really lost is the electron antineutrino. In positive beta decay, a proton in the nucleus receives energy from outside the atom to convert into a neutron, a positron and a neutrino. This increases the mass of the atom by converting the energy from outside the atom into mass within it.
