Radium-223 nuclei usually decay by alpha emission. Once in every billion decays, a radium-223 nucleus emits a carbon-14 nucleus. Write a balanced nuclear equation for alpha emission. Write a balanced nuclear equation for carbon-14 emission.
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To write a balanced nuclear equation for alpha emission, we need to know that alpha emission involves the nucleus of an atom releasing an alpha particle, which consists of two protons and two neutrons.
The balanced nuclear equation for alpha emission from a radium-223 nucleus can be written as follows:
^223Ra → ^4He + ^219Rn
In this equation, the radium-223 nucleus (^223Ra) undergoes alpha decay, resulting in the formation of an alpha particle (^4He) and a radon-219 nucleus (^219Rn).
Now, to write a balanced nuclear equation for carbon-14 emission, we use the given information that a radium-223 nucleus emits a carbon-14 nucleus once in every billion decays. Carbon-14, also represented as ^14C, consists of six protons and eight neutrons.
The balanced nuclear equation for carbon-14 emission from a radium-223 nucleus can be written as follows:
^223Ra → ^14C + X
In this equation, the radium-223 nucleus (^223Ra) undergoes a rare type of decay, emitting a carbon-14 nucleus (^14C) and producing an unknown nucleus (X). Since the decay of radium-223 to carbon-14 is rare, the identity of the unknown nucleus is not specified or predictable.
It's important to note that while the balanced nuclear equations describe the nucleus's decay, the atomic numbers and mass numbers must be balanced on both sides of the equations.