Chapter 19, Problem 76AP

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation:

To fill in the blanks:

When a nuclide decomposes through a series of steps before reaching the stability, the nuclide is said to have gone through a....... series.

Concept Introduction:

The radioactive decay is the conversion of the unstable nuclei to the stable nuclei with some other by product like alpha, beta and gamma.The unstable nuclei is called parent nuclei which forms the daughter nuclei which is either forms by combination or by decomposition of nuclei. When they are formed by combination, the process is known as fusion and when they are formed by decomposition, the process is known as fission. The beta particles increase the atomic number of an atom by 1 and no change in the mass of an atom. While alpha particles decrease the mass number by 4 and atomic number by 2.