A radioactive isotope with an atomic number of 92 undergoes alpha decay. What is the atomic number of the daughter nucleus?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In alpha decay, the parent nucleus loses an alpha particle consisting of two protons and two neutrons, thereby reducing its atomic number by 2 and mass number by 4. Thus, the daughter nucleus will have an atomic number of 90 (92 - 2 = 90) and a mass number of 228 (232 - 4 = 228) for this radioactive isotope.

A Radioactive Isotope with an Atomic Number of 92 Undergoes