Radioactive Decay

1. What is an alpha particle?

2. What is a beta particle?
3. What happens to one of the neutrons in the nucleus of an atom during
beta decay?
4. Americium-242 undergoes alpha decay, emitting alpha radiation to
become neptunium-238. Write the equation for this decay.
242
95
Am 238
93
Np
5. Tritium (hydrogen-3) undergoes beta decay to become helium-3. Write the equation for
this decay.
3
1
H 3
2
He
6. Uranium-238 emits radiation that is stopped by a sheet of paper.
a. Which type of radiation is emitted?
b. What is the daughter nuclei formed (i.e which atom do you have at the end after the
decay)?
c. Write an equation to show the decay process.
7. The product in Q6 emits radiation that passes through paper, but does not pass through a
sheet of aluminium.
a. Write an equation to show the decay process.
8. The isotope protactinium-234 emits beta radiation.
a. Write an equation to show the decay process.
b. What is the product of this decay?
c. Compare the atomic number and mass number of this product with that of uranium-
238. What do you notice?
9. What is gamma radiation?

Stretch
10. Argon-40 decays to Potassium-40.
a. What is the atomic number of potassium?
b. What is the atomic number of argon?
c. What must happen to one of the protons?
d. How can you ensure that charges are conserved?
e. Write an equation to show this decay.
Radioactive Decay
1. What is an alpha particle?
2. What is a beta particle?
3. What happens to one of the neutrons in the nucleus of an atom during
beta decay?
4. Americium-242 undergoes alpha decay, emitting alpha radiation to
become neptunium-238. Write the equation for this decay.
242
95
Am 238
93
Np
5. Tritium (hydrogen-3) undergoes beta decay to become helium-3. Write the equation for
this decay.
3
1
H 3
2
He
6. Uranium-238 emits radiation that is stopped by a sheet of paper.
a. Which type of radiation is emitted?
b. What is the daughter nuclei formed (i.e which atom do you have at the end after the
decay)?
c. Write an equation to show the decay process.
7. The product in Q6 emits radiation that passes through paper, but does not pass through a
sheet of aluminium.
a. Write an equation to show the decay process.
8. The isotope protactinium-234 emits beta radiation.
a. Write an equation to show the decay process.
b. What is the product of this decay?
c. Compare the atomic number and mass number of this product with that of uranium-
238. What do you notice?
9. What is gamma radiation?

Stretch
10. Potassium-40 decays to argon-40.
a. What is the atomic number of potassium?
b. What is the atomic number of argon?
c. What must happen to one of the protons?
d. How can you ensure that charges are conserved?
e. Write an equation to show this decay.