When radium (A = 88)emits an alpha particle, the resulting nucleus has atomic number
A)86.
B)88.
C)90.
D)92.
E)none of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When radium (A = 88) emits an alpha particle (He nucleus, 2 protons and 2 neutrons), its atomic number decreases by 2 because it loses 2 protons. Therefore, the resulting nucleus will have an atomic number of 88-2=86. This corresponds to the element radon (Rn) on the periodic table.

When Radium (A = 88)emits an Alpha Particle, the Resulting