Question detail

Which of the following correctly represents the process of alpha decay in a nuclear equation?

Try the question, check the answer, then read the explanation to understand the curriculum point.

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At a glance

MCQ

Type

practice

Style

Topic

Atoms and nuclear radiation

Question

A. A -> B + C
B. X -> Y + 4He
C. Z -> A + 2e
D. M -> N + γ

Answer

The correct answer is B: X -> Y + 4He.

Explanation

The correct answer is B: X -> Y + 4He. This supports the learning objective "Represent alpha decay using a nuclear equation." in Nuclear equations because it uses the correct atomic and nuclear radiation relationship for Atoms and nuclear radiation. The other options are less suitable because they do not match the required Nuclear equations idea: A -> B + C; Z -> A + 2e; M -> N + γ.

Common mistake

Misunderstanding Alpha Decay Representation

Students often confuse the representation of alpha decay by not correctly identifying the emitted particles and their effects on mass and atomic numbers in the nuclear equation.

To fix this, students should practice writing nuclear equations for alpha decay, ensuring they decrease the mass number by 4 and the atomic number by 2, while correctly representing the emitted helium nucleus.

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