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An alpha particle is essentially a 4He nucleus, 2 protons and 2 neutrons, one of the most stable configurations of protons and neutrons possible. So if an atom spits out 2 protons and 2 neutrons in an alpha particle, it must lose 2 protons and 2 neutrons from its own particle count. If you consider that the mass number is just the sum of protons and neutrons, then you can see that the mass number will simply decrease by 4. However what's really interesting is that in general, the mass (not mass number) of the atom decreases by just a little more than the mass of 2 protons and 2 neutrons. That missing mass goes into the famous E=mc2 equation to be the energy with which the alpha particle leaves (also some energy will be in the recoil of the nucleus emitting it, but for heavy atoms usually this is fairly small.)
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Describe what happens to the proton number and the mass number when an alpha particle is emitted by a nucleus?
When an alpha particle (helium nucleus) is emitted by a nucleus, the proton number decreases by 2 and the mass number decreases by 4. This is because the alpha particle consists of two protons and two neutrons.
When uranium (92 proton) ejects an beta particle how many protons does the remaining nucleus have?
90 protons
What happens to the atom when an alpha particle is released by it?
When an alpha particle is released by an atom, the atom loses two protons and two neutrons, resulting in a different element being formed. This process is known as alpha decay.
What does the 2 in alpha particle represent?
The symbol for an alpha particle is 24He2+. The first 2 means that there are 2 protons. The second 2+ means that the net charge is +2, which means, since there are 2 protons, that there are no electrons. The result is that an alpha particle is a helium nucleus without its electrons, i.e. 2 protons and 2 neutrons, but no electrons.
When radium emits an alpha particle the resulting nucleus has atomic number?
The result is radon, atomic number 86. 226Ra - alpha particle = 222Rn (radon, a radioactive gas)
Describe what happens to the proton number and the mass number when an alpha particle is emitted by a nucleus?
When an alpha particle (helium nucleus) is emitted by a nucleus, the proton number decreases by 2 and the mass number decreases by 4. This is because the alpha particle consists of two protons and two neutrons.
What happens to a radioactive nucleus when it emits alpha particle and What happens to a radioactive nucleus when it emits alpha particle?
When a radioactive nucleus emits an alpha particle, it decreases by two protons and two neutrons. This results in a new nucleus with a lower atomic number by 2 and lower mass number by 4. The emitted alpha particle is a helium nucleus (2 protons and 2 neutrons) and carries a positive charge.
When uranium (92 proton) ejects an beta particle how many protons does the remaining nucleus have?
90 protons
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 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.
What happens to the atomic number of an element if it emits 1 alpha particle and 1 beta particles?
It drops 2
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 to a radioisotope when it undergoes alpha emission?
During alpha emission, a radioisotope emits an alpha particle, which is composed of two protons and two neutrons. This reduces the atomic number of the parent isotope by 2 and the atomic mass by 4. The emission of an alpha particle transforms the parent isotope into a new element.
What particle consists of two protons and two neutrons it is the same as a helium nucleus release of a what particle by an atom decreases the atomic number by 2 and the mass number by 4?
The particle that consists of two protons and two neutrons, equivalent to a helium nucleus, is an alpha particle. When an atom releases an alpha particle, its atomic number decreases by 2 and its mass number decreases by 4.
What happens to a positively-charged alpha particle that comes near the positively charged nucleus?
This particle is rejected.
What happens to a positively-charge alpha particle that comes near the positively-charged nucleus?
This particle will be rejected.
What happens to the number of protons when U-238 emits an alpha particle?
When U-238 emits an alpha particle, it loses two protons. This results in the atom transforming into a different element (Th-234) which has two fewer protons in the nucleus.
