Nuclear Chemistry - Decay reactions and nuclear notation

number at top left of an element?

mass #

number of neutrons and protons added together

number at bottom left of and element?

atomic #

number of protons

knowing this means you know what element it is, and viceversa

number at top right?

charge

alpha particle

₂⁴α

no electrons

from what atomic number does alpha decay start

from Z> 83

beta particle

electrons originated form the nuclei of atoms in a nuclear decay process

simplest process is the decay of a free neutron

beta particles

from what atomic number does beta decay happen

nuclei with Z<60 mostly undergo beta emmission

positron

simplest procees is the decay of a free proton

positrons

where is positron emission commonly encountered

in artificially produced radioactive nuclei of the lighter elements

electron captures

achieves the same effect is positron emission through a different process

gamma rays

highly penatrating energetic photons

general gamma ray equation

how gamma rays occur

some radiocative decay process that produce alpha or beta particles leave the nucleus in an excited state (engergized)

the nucleus then emits electromagnetic radiation in the form of X-rays or gamma rays, depending on the energy

X-ray a bit weaker(?)

spontaneous fission

happens when the stable nuclei of heavy elements split into two nearly equal daughter nuclei

how can spontaneous fission occur

either naturally or via bombanbardment reactions

often depicted as a chain reaction because neutrons are used and are produced in large quantities

like nuclear bombs

general spontaneous fission reaction

alpha decay model

beta decay model

positron emission model

electron capture model

gamma emission model

s

spontaneous fission model