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Lesson: Balancing Nuclear Reactions

In this lesson, we will learn how to balance equations for nuclear reactions and determine the nuclide symbols for unknown reactants and products.

Worksheet • 25 Questions

Q1:

Write a balanced equation for the formation of lawrencium-257 from californium-250 and boron-11.

  • A 2 5 0 9 8 1 1 5 2 5 7 1 0 3 1 0 C f + B L r + 4 n
  • B 2 5 0 9 9 1 1 5 2 5 7 1 0 4 1 0 C f + B L r + 3 n
  • C 2 5 0 9 7 1 1 5 2 5 7 1 0 2 1 0 C f + B L r + 3 n
  • D 2 5 0 9 7 1 1 5 2 5 7 1 0 2 1 0 C f + B L r + 4 n
  • E 2 5 0 9 8 1 1 5 2 5 7 1 0 3 1 0 C f + B L r + 3 n

Q2:

A nuclear reaction is described by the equation: Identify the particle X .

  • AOxygen-17
  • BBoron-12
  • CFluorine-18
  • DCarbon-11
  • ENitrogen-14

Q3:

Write a balanced equation for formation of berkelium-244 from americium-241 and helium-4.

  • A 2 4 1 9 5 4 2 2 4 4 9 7 1 0 A m + H e B k + n
  • B 2 4 1 9 5 4 2 2 4 4 9 5 1 1 A m + H e B k + 2 H
  • C 2 4 1 9 5 4 2 2 4 4 9 6 1 1 A m + H e B k + H
  • D 2 4 1 9 5 4 2 2 4 4 9 8 1 0 A m + H e B k + 2 n
  • E 2 4 1 9 5 4 2 2 4 4 9 7 A m + H e B k

Q4:

Reaction of a magnesium-25 nucleus with an 𝛼 particle produces a free proton and another nuclide. Write a balanced equation for this reaction.

  • A 2 5 1 2 4 2 2 8 1 3 1 1 M g + H e A l + H
  • B 2 5 1 2 4 2 2 7 1 3 1 1 M g + H e A l + H
  • C 2 5 1 2 4 2 2 9 1 3 1 1 M g + H e A l + H
  • D 2 5 1 2 4 2 2 9 1 4 1 1 M g + H e S i + H
  • E 2 5 1 2 4 2 2 8 1 4 1 1 M g + H e S i + H

Q5:

What is the nuclide symbol for cobalt-60?

  • A 6 0 2 7 C u
  • B 3 3 6 0 C o
  • C 6 0 3 3 C o
  • D 2 7 6 0 C o
  • E 3 3 2 7 C o

Q6:

Write a balanced equation for formation of fermium-254 from neutron bombardment of plutonium-239.

  • A 2 3 9 9 4 1 0 2 5 4 1 0 0 – e P u + 1 5 n F m + 6 e + 6 𝜈
  • B 2 3 9 9 4 1 0 2 5 4 1 0 0 – e P u + 1 3 n F m + 4 e + 4 𝜈
  • C 2 3 9 9 5 1 0 2 5 4 1 0 0 – e P u + 1 3 n F m + 5 e + 5 𝜈
  • D 2 3 9 9 4 1 0 2 5 4 1 0 0 – e P u + 1 1 n F m + 6 e + 6 𝜈
  • E 2 3 9 9 5 1 0 2 5 4 1 0 0 – e P u + 1 5 n F m + 5 e + 5 𝜈

Q7:

A nuclear reaction is described by the equation: Identify the particle X .

  • APhosphorus-30
  • BAluminium-31
  • CPhosphorus-31
  • DSilicon-30
  • ESilicon-31

Q8:

Write a balanced equation for the production of 1 7 O from 1 4 N by 𝛼 particle bombardment.

  • A 1 4 7 4 2 1 7 8 1 1 N + H e O + H
  • B 1 4 7 3 2 1 7 8 + e N + H e O + e + 𝜈
  • C 1 4 7 3 1 1 7 8 N + H O
  • D 1 4 7 4 1 1 7 8 1 0 N + H O + n
  • E 1 4 7 4 1 1 7 8 1 0 N + H e O + n

Q9:

A nuclear reaction is described by the equation: Identify the particle X .

  • A 4 2 H e
  • B 2 1 H
  • C 3 2 H e
  • D 1 1 H
  • E 3 1 H

Q10:

Write a balanced equation for the decay of an unstable atom into beryllium-8 by positron emission.

  • A 8 5 8 4 + e B B e + e + 𝜈
  • B 7 5 8 4 + e B B e + e + 𝜈
  • C 8 3 8 4 + e L i B e + e + 𝜈
  • D 9 3 8 4 + e L i B e + e + 𝜈
  • E 9 5 8 4 + e B B e + e + 𝜈

Q11:

Write a balanced equation for the production of 2 3 3 T h from 2 3 2 T h by neutron bombardment.

  • A 2 3 2 9 0 1 0 2 3 3 9 0 T h + n T h
  • B 2 3 2 9 0 1 1 2 3 3 9 0 e T h + n T h + 𝜈
  • C 2 3 2 9 0 1 1 2 3 3 9 0 + e T h + n T h + e + 𝜈
  • D 2 3 2 9 0 0 1 2 3 3 9 0 e T h + n T h + 𝜈
  • E 2 3 2 9 0 0 1 2 3 3 9 0 + e T h + n T h + e + 𝜈

Q12:

The nuclide 1 2 5 5 3 I combines with an electron to produce a new nuclide. Write a balanced equation for this reaction.

  • A 1 2 5 5 3 – 1 2 5 5 2 I + e T e + 𝜈 𝑒
  • B 1 2 5 5 3 – 1 2 4 5 4 I + e X e
  • C 1 2 5 5 3 – 1 2 5 5 4 e I + e X e + 𝜈
  • D 1 2 5 5 3 – 1 2 6 5 2 I + e T e
  • E 1 2 5 5 3 – 1 2 4 5 4 e I + e X e + 𝜈

Q13:

Write a balanced equation for the decay of a thorium-229 nucleus into a nucleus of actinium-225.

  • A 2 2 9 9 0 2 2 5 8 9 4 2 – e T h A c + H e + e + 𝜈
  • B 2 2 9 9 0 2 2 5 8 8 2 1 – e T h A c + 2 H e + e + 𝜈
  • C 2 2 9 9 0 2 2 5 8 9 4 2 e T h A c + H e + 𝜈
  • D 2 2 9 9 0 2 2 5 8 8 4 2 T h A c + H e
  • E 2 2 9 9 0 2 2 5 8 9 2 1 + T h A c + 2 H e + e

Q14:

Write a balanced equation for the decay of a gold-173 nucleus into a nucleus of iridium-169.

  • A 1 7 3 7 9 1 6 9 7 7 4 2 A u I r + H e
  • B 1 7 3 7 9 1 6 9 7 7 4 2 e A u I r + H e + 𝜈
  • C 1 7 3 7 9 1 7 0 7 8 4 2 – e A u I r + H e + e + 𝜈
  • D 1 7 3 7 9 1 6 9 7 8 4 2 + e A u I r + H e + e + 𝜈
  • E 1 7 3 7 9 1 7 0 7 7 4 2 – e A u I r + H e + e + 𝜈

Q15:

Write a balanced equation for the production of 1 4 C from 1 4 N by neutron bombardment.

  • A 1 4 7 1 0 1 4 6 1 1 N + n C + H
  • B 1 4 7 1 0 1 4 8 1 1 N + n C + H
  • C 1 4 7 0 1 1 4 6 + e N + n C + e + 𝜈
  • D 1 4 7 1 0 1 4 8 – e N + n C + e + 𝜈
  • E 1 4 7 0 1 1 4 8 N + n C

Q16:

Write a balanced equation for the formation of dubnium-260 from californium-249 and nitrogen-15.

  • A 2 4 9 9 8 1 5 7 2 6 0 1 0 5 1 0 C f + N D b + 4 n
  • B 2 4 9 9 8 1 5 7 2 6 0 1 0 5 1 0 e C f + N D b + 4 n + 𝜈
  • C 2 4 9 9 7 1 5 7 2 6 0 1 0 5 1 0 – e C f + N D b + 4 n + e + 𝜈
  • D 2 4 9 9 7 1 5 7 2 6 0 1 0 4 1 0 + e C f + N D b + 4 n + e + 𝜈
  • E 2 4 9 9 8 1 5 7 2 6 0 1 0 4 1 0 e C f + N D b + 4 n + 𝜈

Q17:

Iodine-131 has a half-life of 8.70 days and decays by 𝛽 βˆ’ emission.

Write a balanced equation for the decay of iodine-131.

  • A 1 3 1 5 3 1 3 1 5 4 – e I X e + e + 𝜈
  • B 1 3 1 5 3 1 3 1 5 4 – I X e + e
  • C 1 3 1 5 3 1 3 1 5 2 – e I T e + e + 𝜈
  • D 1 3 1 5 3 1 3 1 5 4 – e I X e + e + 𝜈
  • E 1 3 1 5 3 1 3 1 5 2 – e I T e + e + 𝜈

How much time is needed for 95.0% of a sample of iodine-131 to decay?

Q18:

A nuclear decay is described by the equation: Identify the particle X .

  • A 9 6 3 7 R b
  • B 1 0 4 4 1 N b
  • C 1 0 0 4 1 N b
  • D 1 0 1 3 6 K r
  • E 1 0 0 3 8 S r

Q19:

Write a balanced equation for the decay of bismuth-212 into polonium-212.

  • A 2 1 2 8 3 2 1 2 8 4 – e B i P o + e + 𝜈
  • B 2 1 2 8 3 2 1 2 8 4 e B i P o + 𝜈
  • C 2 1 2 8 3 2 1 2 8 4 + e B i P o + e + 𝜈
  • D 2 1 2 8 3 2 1 2 8 4 + e B i P o + e + 𝜈
  • E 2 1 2 8 3 2 1 2 8 4 – e B i P o + e + 𝜈

Q20:

Write a balanced equation for the formation of plutonium-239 from uranium-238 and a neutron.

  • A 2 3 8 9 2 1 0 2 3 9 9 4 – e U + n P u + 2 e + 2 𝜈
  • B 2 3 8 9 2 1 0 2 3 9 9 4 e U + n P u + 𝜈
  • C 2 3 8 9 2 1 0 2 3 9 9 4 + U + n P u + 2 e
  • D 2 3 8 9 2 1 0 2 3 9 9 4 – U + n P u + e
  • E 2 3 8 9 2 1 0 2 3 9 9 4 + e U + n P u + e + 𝜈

Q21:

What is the nuclide symbol for fluorine-19?

  • A 1 9 9 F
  • B 1 9 2 8 F
  • C 9 1 9 F
  • D 2 8 1 9 F
  • E 2 8 9 F

Q22:

What is the nuclide symbol for rhenium-186?

  • A 1 8 6 7 5 R e
  • B 7 5 1 1 1 R e
  • C 1 8 6 1 1 1 R e
  • D 1 1 1 7 5 R e
  • E 1 1 1 1 8 6 R e

Q23:

Write a balanced equation for the production of 2 3 9 U from 2 3 8 U by 2 H bombardment.

  • A 2 3 8 9 2 2 1 2 3 9 9 2 1 1 U + H U + H
  • B 2 3 8 9 2 2 1 2 3 9 9 2 3 1 U + H U + H
  • C 2 3 8 9 2 2 1 2 3 9 9 2 1 0 U + H U + n
  • D 2 3 8 9 2 2 1 2 3 9 9 2 e U + H U + 𝜈
  • E 2 3 8 9 2 2 1 2 3 9 9 2 U + H U

Q24:

Write a balanced equation for the decay of strontium-90 into yttrium-90.

  • A 9 0 3 8 9 0 3 9 – e S r Y + e + 𝜈
  • B 9 0 3 8 9 0 3 7 e S r Y + 𝜈
  • C 9 0 3 8 8 9 3 7 – e S r Y + e + 𝜈
  • D 9 0 3 8 8 9 3 7 + e S r Y + e + 𝜈
  • E 9 0 3 8 9 0 3 9 + e S r Y + e + 𝜈

Q25:

A nuclear reaction is described by the equation: Identify the particle X .

  • ALithium-6
  • BBeryllium-10
  • CLithium-7
  • DBeryllium-9
  • EBeryllium-7
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