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Question: Answered & Verified by Expert

Consider the following radioactive decay process:

A84218αA1β-A2γA3αA4β+A5γA6

The mass number and the atomic number of A6 are given by:

PhysicsNuclear PhysicsJEE MainJEE Main 2023 (24 Jan Shift 1)
Options:
  • A 210 and 82
  • B 210 and 84
  • C 210 and 80
  • D 211 and 80
Solution:
1276 Upvotes Verified Answer
The correct answer is: 210 and 80

When an alpha particle is emitted from nucleus the nucleus loses two proton and two neutrons. This means the atomic mass number decreases by 4 and the atomic number decreases by 2.

In beta decays, the mass number of the atoms remains the same, but the atomic number changes: the atomic number increases in the negative beta decay and decreases in the positive beta decay by 1, respectively.

In gamma decay, mass number and atomic number remains unchanged.

Step by step variation is given below:

 84218Aα 82214A1β- 83214A2γ 83214A3α 81210A4β+ 80210A5γ 80210A6

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