What element results if two protons and two neutrons are ejected from a radium nucleus?
Rn-222
To determine the element that results if two protons and two neutrons are ejected from a radium nucleus, we need to understand the process of radioactive decay.
Radium is known to undergo alpha decay, which involves the emission of an alpha particle. An alpha particle consists of two protons and two neutrons, which means ejecting it from a radium nucleus will result in a transformation of the original element.
By removing two protons from a radium nucleus, the atomic number (number of protons) will decrease by two. This means the resulting element will be two places lower on the periodic table.
To find out the specific element, we need to locate the element two places below radium on the periodic table. Knowing that radium has an atomic number of 88, we subtract two from 88 and find that the resulting element is radon (atomic number 86).
Therefore, by ejecting two protons and two neutrons from a radium nucleus, the resulting element is radon.