Alpha Decay
Alpha decay reduces mass number by:
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About This Question
- Subject
- physics
- Chapter
- atoms and nuclei
- Topic
- alpha decay
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Year
- 2025
Solution
Correct Answer:
4
An alpha particle (α) is equivalent to a Helium nucleus, consisting of 2 protons and 2 neutrons (24He). When a nucleus undergoes alpha decay, it ejects this particle, thereby reducing its atomic number (Z) by 2 and its mass number (A) by 4. The general reaction is: ZAX→Z−2A−4Y+24He.
This hard difficulty physics question is from the chapter atoms and nuclei, covering the topic of alpha decay. It appeared in the 2025 exam.
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