Radioactive Decay CW-1

1. Americium-242 undergoes alpha decay, emitting alpha radiation to become neptunium-

238. Write the equation for this decay.
242 238
95 Am 93 Np
2. Tritium (hydrogen-3) undergoes beta decay to become helium-3. Write the equation for
this decay.
3 3
1 H 2 He
3. 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.
4. This nucleus of the product in Q3 emits radiation that passes through paper, but does not
pass through a sheet of aluminium.
a. Write an equation to show the decay process.
5. 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?