What happens in alpha decay?

Question

What special particle(s) is\are produced besides the daughter element in an alpha decay. How can you use the parent element to determine the daughter element produced by alpha decay?

Answer 1

Alpha decay is one process that unstable atoms can use to become more stable. During alpha decay, an atom's nucleus sheds two protons and two neutrons in a packet that scientists call an alpha particle.
Alpha decay is a type of radioactive decay in which an atom emits an alpha particle and transforms (or decays) into an atom with a mass number 4 less and atomic number 2 less.
Since an atom loses two protons during alpha decay, it changes from one element to another. For example, after undergoing alpha decay, an atom of uranium (with 92 protons) becomes an atom of thorium (with 90 protons).

Answer 2

As any heavy charged particle, alpha particles lose their energy within a very short distance in dense media, causing significant damage to surrounding biomolecules. Generally, external alpha irradiation is not harmful because alpha particles are completely absorbed by the thin layer of dead skin cells in the outermost layer of the skin as well as by a few centimeters of air. However, if a substance radiating alpha particles is ingested, inhaled by, injected into, or introduced through the skin (shrapnel, corrosive chemicals) into an organism it may become a risk, potentially inflicting very serious cellular damage.

A common household source of alpha radiation is radon, a naturally occurring, radioactive gas found in soil, rock and sometimes groundwater. When radon gas is inhaled, some of the radon particles stick to the inner lining of the lung. The particles that remain continue to decay over time, emitting alpha particles which may damage cells in the lung tissue. Shrapnel deposited in the body from depleted uranium poses another such internal risk of alpha particle radiation dose.

Answer 3

An alpha particle isn't something however the nucleus of a helium atom stripped of its electrons...it includes 2 protons guaranteed to 2 neutrons for a entire atomic mass of four and a plus fee of two. So while a radioactive nucleus emits an alpha particle, it is mass quantity drops via 4 and its nuclear fee or atomic quantity drops via 2. for the time of gamma decay the fee on the nucleus keeps to be precisely an identical however the mass decreases very slightly via the quantity m = E/c^2 = h(nu) / c^2 the place h = Planck's consistent and (nu) is the frequency of the gamma radiation.