225/88 Ra → 0/0Y + blank/88 Ra
Fill in the blanks
The number in the box is the ____ and this form of ____ decay.
The number in the box is the 225 and this form of decay is alpha decay.
The number in the box is the atomic number and this form of radioactive decay.
To fill in the blanks, we need to understand the concept of radioactive decay and how to interpret the given equation.
In the equation 225/88 Ra → 0/0Y + blank/88 Ra, the numbers written as fractions represent isotopes. The first number, 225, represents the atomic mass of the isotope radium (Ra), and the second number, 88, represents the atomic number of radium.
Now, let's focus on the blank spaces. In the equation, the first blank represents the atomic mass of the product isotope, and the second blank represents the atomic number of the product isotope.
To determine these values, we need to analyze the radioactive decay process. In this equation, radium (Ra) is undergoing decay, resulting in the formation of an unknown isotope with atomic number 0 and atomic mass 0. This new isotope is typically denoted as Y.
Since the atomic mass of the initial radium is 225 and the atomic mass of the product is 0, we can deduce that the atomic mass of the blank space is 225 - 0 = 225.
Therefore, the number in the first blank is 225, and the number in the second blank is 0.
To summarize, the number in the box is the atomic mass of the product isotope, which is 225, and this form of decay is known as alpha decay.