Exam-style question
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Which particle is emitted during alpha decay?.
- A.Electron
- B.Proton
- C.Helium nucleus
- D.Neutron
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- Helium nucleus
Explanation
Why this works
Alpha decay involves the emission of an alpha particle, which is essentially a Helium nucleus (2 protons and 2 neutrons). This process reduces the mass number of the original nucleus by 4 and the atomic number by 2.
Common mistake
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