What particle is emitted in the following nuclear reactions?...

What particle is emitted in the following nuclear reactions? Write an equation for each reaction.
(a) Gold-198 decays to mercury-198.
(b) Radon-222 decays to polonium-218.
(c) Cesium-137 decays to barium-137.
(d) Indium-110 decays to cadmium-110.

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Key Concepts

Radioactive Decay

Radioactive decay is the process by which an unstable nucleus loses energy by emitting radiation. This transformation involves a change in the composition of the nucleus, yielding a different element or isotope while conserving mass number and charge.

Alpha Decay

Alpha decay is a type of radioactive decay in which the nucleus emits an alpha particle, which consists of two protons and two neutrons. This results in a decrease of the atomic number by 2 and the mass number by 4, following conservation laws in the nuclear equation.

Beta Decay

Beta decay is a nuclear process in which a nucleus transforms a neutron into a proton, or vice versa, emitting a beta particle in the process. In beta-minus decay, a neutron is converted into a proton while emitting an electron and an antineutrino; in beta-plus decay, a proton is converted into a neutron while emitting a positron and a neutrino, with the atomic number changing by one.

Nuclear Equations

Nuclear equations represent nuclear reactions by showing the transformation from parent to daughter nuclei along with the emitted particles. They must be balanced such that both the mass numbers and atomic numbers on the left-hand side equal those on the right-hand side, reflecting the conservation of nucleons and charge.

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