REVIEW

What are the three

subatomic particles?
 Element: Zinc
Atomic Number:____ 30
Mass Number:____ 65
? Zn
65 30
Number of Protons:____
30 Number of Electrons:____
30
35
Number of Neutrons:____

30 + 35 = 65
 Nuclear

Transformation
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Identify the kind of nuclear
transformation involved in a given
equation.

Write equations showing the

different nuclear transformation.
 GAMMA
ALPHA DECAY
DECAY

BETA
BETA MINUS DECAY

BETA PLUS

ELECTRON CAPTURE
PES OF NUCLEAR REACTI
ALPHA BETA GAMMA
DECAY DECAY DECAY

BETA MINUS
BETA PLUS
ELECTRON CAPTURE
 These are the symbols to be
used:

proton
- electron
neutron
ALPHA DECAY
Alpha decay is a
radioactive decay process
in which an alpha particle
is emitted from a nucleus.
Alpha particle consists of
2 protons and 2 neutrons
which is equal to the
helium atom ( 42He)
 ALPHA DECAY
2 protons and 2
neutrons are
released
+ - +
+ - + 53
No. of protons: _______
+ - + 64
No. of neutrons: _____
+ - +
+ - + Name of
- + Boron
element: Lithium
_______
 ALPHA DECAY

+ - +
+ - +
+ - +
- +
+
- +
+ - +

Boron Lithium
How to write a nuclear reaction
ALPHA DECAY
1) The element on the left side is the one
that splits into two pieces. 

11
B
5 ____
? + ____
?
 2) One of the two elements on the right is
ALWAYS an alpha particle.(Helium atom)

11
B
5
4
2He + ____
3) The other atom on the right ALWAYS
goes down by two in the atomic number
and four in the mass number.

11 – 4 = 7

7
11
B
5 He + ___
4
2 3

5–2 = 3
 4) Determine the name of the element by
referring to the periodic table of
elements using the number of protons.

4 7
11
B
5 2He + 3 Li
 15
14
13
11
12
10
95
67
1
2
3
4
8

233
U
92
4
He
2 + 229
90 Th
15
14
13
11
12
10
95
67
1
2
3
4
8
BETA DECAY
BETA MINUS

BETA PLUS

ELECTRON CAPTURE
BETA MINUS

Beta minus is a
kind of beta decay
wherein electron
is emitted
 BETA MINUS
an electron is
- emitted ; neutron
turns into a proton
12
No. of protons: _______
- ++
+ 21
No. of neutrons: _____
- + Name of
element: Hydrogen
Helium
_________
 BETA MINUS

- + +
+
+
- + - +

Hydrogen Helium
How to write a nuclear reaction
BETA MINUS
1) The element on the left side is the one
that splits into two pieces. 

3
1H ____
? + ____
?
 2) One of the two elements on the right is
ALWAYS an electron. ( -10e )

3
H
1
0
-1 e + ____
3) The other atom on the right ALWAYS
goes up by one in the atomic number and
the mass number being unchanged.

3–0 =3

3
3
H
1 e + ____
0
-1 2

1– (-1) = 2
 4) Determine the name of the element by
referring to the periodic table of
elements using the number of protons.

3
3
H
1
0
-1 e + 2He
 15
14
13
11
12
10
95
67
1
2
3
4
8

14
6 C 0
e
-1
+ 14
7 N
 BETA PLUS
(Positron Emission)

Beta Plus (Positron

Emission ) is a kind of
beta decay wherein
positron is emitted
 BETA PLUS
(Positron Emission)
a positron is ejected
from the nucleus

- + - +
54
No. of protons: ______
44
No. of neutrons: ____
+ + + + +
- + - +
Name of
element: Beryllium
Boron
_______
 BETA PLUS
(Positron Emission)

- + - + - + - +
+ + + + + + + + +
- + - + - + - +

Boron Beryllium
How to write a nuclear reaction
BETA PLUS
(Positron Emission)

1) The element on the left side is the one

that splits into two pieces. 

9
5B ____
? + ____
?
2) One of the two elements on the right is
ALWAYS a positron. (+10e )

9
5B
0
+1 e + ___
3) The other atom on the right ALWAYS
goes down by one in the atomic number
and the mass number being unchanged.

9–0 =9

9 0 9
5B +1e + ___ 4

5– 1 = 4
 4) Determine the name of the element by
referring to the periodic table of
elements using the number of protons.

9
B
5
0
+1e +
9
4Be
 15
14
13
11
12
10
95
67
1
2
3
4
8

22
11 Na
0
e
+1 + 22
10 Ne
ELECTRON CAPTURE
Electron capture is
not like any other decay
-alpha, beta, or
position. All other
decays shoot something
out of the nucleus.
ELECTRON CAPTURE
In electron capture,
an electron from the
closest energy level (K
shell) falls into the
nucleus, which causes
a proton to become a
neutron.
ELECTRON CAPTURE
an electron reacts
- with proton to form
neutron

- + - + 43
No. of protons: ______
No. of neutrons: 4
3
____
+ + + - ++
- + Name of
Lithium
element: Beryllium
_______
ELECTRON CAPTURE

- + - + - + - +
+ + + + + + +
- + - + - +

Beryllium Lithium
How to write a nuclear reaction
ELECTRON CAPTURE
1)The nuclide that decays is the one on the left-
hand side of the equation.

7
4Be
 2) The electron must also be written on
the left-hand side.

7
Be + e
4
0
-1 ___ ?
 3) The other atom on the right ALWAYS
goes down by one in the atomic number
and the mass number remain unchanged.

7+0 =7

7
7
Be
4 +
0
e
-1 ___
3

4 + (-1) = 3
 4) Determine the name of the element by
referring to the periodic table of
elements using the number of protons.

7
7
Be
4 +
0
-1 e 3 Li
 15
14
13
11
12
10
95
67
1
2
3
4
8

Ar
37
18 +
0
-1 e
37
17 Cl
GAMMA DECAY
Gamma decay consists
of the emission of pure
electromagnetic
energy; no particles are
emitted during this
process.
GAMMA DECAY
After beta, positron, or
alpha decay, the nucleus
is left in a high-energy
state, and at this point it
will often emit gamma
rays, which allows it to
relax to its lower-energy
ground state.
 GAMMA DECAY
gamma ray (photon)
is emitted

- + - +
4
No. of protons: ______
No. of neutrons: 4
____
+ + + +
- + - + Name of
Lithium
element: _______
 GAMMA DECAY

+ - + + - +
+ - + + - +
+ - + + - +
+ - + + - +

Beryllium Beryllium
How to write a nuclear reaction
GAMMA DECAY
1) The element on the left side is the also
the element on the right side, with no
change in protons and mass number

16
8O
16
8 O + ____ ?
 2) A gamma ray or photon (γ) is added
on the right side.

16
O
8
16
8 O + γ
 Th
234
90 Th
234
90 + γ
 How much have you learned?
Complete the equations below and identify
the kind of nuclear transformation involved in
each equation:

+1

-1
How much have you learned?

-1

2
How much have you learned?

0
+1
e

+1