When a 226/88 Ra nucleus decays by emitting an alpha particle, what is the atomic number of the resulting nucleus? What is the resulting atomic mass?

To find the atomic number and atomic mass of the resulting nucleus after the decay of a 226/88 Ra nucleus, we first need to understand the process of alpha decay.

Alpha decay occurs when a nucleus emits an alpha particle, which is a helium-4 nucleus consisting of 2 protons and 2 neutrons. In this case, the original nucleus is a 226/88 Ra nucleus, which means it has an atomic mass of 226 (the top number) and an atomic number of 88 (the bottom number).

During the decay process, an alpha particle is emitted, reducing the atomic number by 2 and the atomic mass by 4. This means that the resulting nucleus will have an atomic number of 88 - 2 = 86, and an atomic mass of 226 - 4 = 222.

Therefore, the atomic number of the resulting nucleus is 86, and the atomic mass is 222.