Nuclear Equations

• clear equations are used to represent radioactive decay
• alpha particle represented by He and beta by e
• the emission of the different types of nuclear radiation may cause a change in mass and or the charge of the nucleus
• alpha decay causes both the mass and charge of the nucleus to decrese
• beta decay does not cause the mass of the nucleus to change but does cause the charge of the nucleus to increase
• the emission of a gamma ray does not cause the mass or charge of the nucleus to change