Home smoke detectors often contain the radioactive element Americium-241 which emits a particles with energies of about 5.4 MeV, which are stopped by a piece of paper or a few centimeters of air and cannot penetrate the human epidermis. a) Write the alpha decay formula that shows what Am-241 decays into. b) How many protons does Am-241 have and how do you know? c) How many neutrons does Am-241 have and how do you know? d) How many electrons does an electrically neutral atom of Am-241 have?
Nuclear Fusion
Nuclear fusion is a type of nuclear reaction. In nuclear fusion, two or more than two lighter atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus. During this process, an enormous amount of energy is released. This energy is called nuclear energy. Nuclear fusion is the energy source of the sun and stars.
Fusion Bomb
A fusion bomb is also known as a thermonuclear bomb or hydrogen bomb which releases a large amount of explosive energy during a nuclear chain reaction when the lighter nuclei in it, combine to form heavier nuclei, and a large amount of radiation is released. It is an uncontrolled, self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction where isotopes of hydrogen combine under very high temperature to form helium. They work on the principle of operation of atomic fusion. The isotopes of Hydrogen are deuterium and tritium, where they combine their masses and have greater mass than the product nuclei, get heated at high temperatures, and releases energy.
Home smoke detectors often contain the radioactive element Americium-241 which emits a particles with energies of about 5.4 MeV, which are stopped by a piece of paper or a few centimeters of air and cannot penetrate the human epidermis. a) Write the alpha decay formula that shows what Am-241 decays into. b) How many protons does Am-241 have and how do you know? c) How many neutrons does Am-241 have and how do you know? d) How many electrons does an electrically neutral atom of Am-241 have?
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