Radioactive decay practice with elements from the periodic table

Front

1. Radium-226 is used in cancer treatment. If a radium-226 nucleus emits an alpha particle, what is the resulting element?

Back

Radon-222 (₈₆Rn²²²)

Front

2. Carbon-14 is commonly used in radiocarbon dating. When a carbon-14 atom undergoes beta decay, what is the resulting element?

Hint: Beta decay increases the atomic number by 1

Back

Nitrogen-14 (₇N¹⁴)

Front

3. Uranium-238 is used as fuel in nuclear power plants. If a uranium-238 nucleus emits an alpha particle, what is the new element formed?

Back

Thorium-234 (₉₀Th²³⁴)

Front

4. Cobalt-60 is used in radiotherapy for treating cancer. When cobalt-60 emits a gamma ray, what element remains?

Back

Cobalt-60 (₂₇Co⁶⁰) (same element)

Front

5. Thorium-230 is found in the decay chain of uranium. After emitting an alpha particle, what is the resulting element?

Back

Radium-226 (₈₈Ra²²⁶)

Front

6. Americium-241 is used in smoke detectors. If americium-241 emits an alpha particle, what element remains?

Back

Neptunium-237 (₉₃Np²³⁷)