Chemistry › Section U · Nuclear chemistry › Topic U.2
Nuclear equations
In a nuclear reaction one element can turn into another, something no chemical reaction can do. Nuclear equations keep track of these changes with two simple bookkeeping rules: mass numbers and atomic numbers must add up on both sides.
In this topic
- When nuclei change
- The particles you will meet
- The two balancing rules
- Alpha decay
- Beta-minus decay
- Positron emission and electron capture
- Gamma emission
- Worked example: identifying a decay product and a particle
- Worked example: a bombardment reaction
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
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