Artificial nuclear transmutation occurs when a target nucleus is bombarded by high-velocity projecti — Nuclear Chemistry and Radioactivity Chemistry Question
Question
Artificial nuclear transmutation occurs when a target nucleus is bombarded by high-velocity projectiles. In the reaction discovering artificial radioactivity, Aluminum-27 (${}_{13}^{27}Al$) was bombarded with $\alpha$ -particles (${}_{2}^{4}He$) to form Phosphorus-30 (${}_{15}^{30}P$) and an unknown emitted particle ${}_{b}^{a}X$. What is the numerical sum of the mass number and atomic number ($a + b$) of the emitted particle $X$?
💡 Solution & Explanation
The complete balanced nuclear reaction is: ${}_{13}^{27}Al + {}_{2}^{4}He \rightarrow {}_{15}^{30}P + {}_{b}^{a}X$. Balancing the mass numbers (superscripts): $27 + 4 = 30 + a \rightarrow a = 1$. Balancing the atomic numbers (subscripts): $13 + 2 = 15 + b \rightarrow b = 0$. The particle ${}_{0}^{1}X$ is a neutron (${}_{0}^{1}n$). The sum of its mass number ($a$) and atomic number ($b$) is $1 + 0 = 1$.