A nuclear modelling program applies four emissions to a model nucleus. Each emission is alpha, beta-minus, beta-plus, gamma or neutron emission.
The table shows the nuclear numbers before and after the sequence.
| Mass number | Atomic number | |
|---|---|---|
| Before the sequence | 218 | 86 |
| After the sequence | 213 | 83 |
The program log states that exactly one of the four emissions was gamma radiation.
Which three other emissions occurred in the sequence?
State the change in the energy of the nucleus during the gamma emission and explain why the table cannot be used to confirm that gamma radiation was emitted.
120 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE Physics 6.3 Nuclear equations and decay, covering 6.3.1 Beta-minus and beta-plus decay, 6.3.2 Effects of decay on the nucleus, and 6.3.3 Balancing nuclear equations. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.