Question

How can I solve nuclear equations?

Answer 1

In order to solve a nuclear equation, we must have to follow a law which stats that the sum of total mass number on left side of equation is equal to the total sum of mass number on the right side of equation. Same goes with atomic numbers.

Complete step by step answer:
In nuclear reactions various emission takes place such as emission of alpha particle, beta particle, positron, gamma particles, neutron, proton and electron capture.
Let’s take an example of alpha decay:
In alpha decay, an alpha particle is emitted from the nucleus and that particle is equivalent to a helium atom. As it has mass number $4$ and atomic number $2$ . If we consider an equation that the $Polonium - 210$ is a radioisotope that decays by alpha-emission. Write a balanced nuclear equation for the alpha decay of $Polonium - 210$ .
This equation is represented as:
${}_{84}^{210}Po \to ? + {}_2^4He$
According to the law of conservation, the sum of the superscripts that is mass number and the sum of subscripts that is atomic number must be equal at both sides of the equation.
So, it can be seen that the mass number on the left side is $210$ but on the right side mass number is $4$ so there will be one more particle of mass number $(210 - 4) = 206$ . Also the atomic number on the left side is $84$ but on the right side only $2$ so to balance it there must be one more particle with atomic number $(84 - 2) = 82$ .
So, the final equation will be:
${}_{84}^{210}Po \to {}_{82}^{206}Pb + {}_2^4He$

Note: The process in which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by radiation is called nuclear decay. A material which consists of an unstable nuclei is considered radioactive. Three of the most common types of decay are alpha decay, beta decay, and gamma decay, all of which involve emitting one or more particles or photons.