Question

which of the following statements are true?

a) the same nuclear changes (creation/destruction of specific nucleons) occur in beta decay as in alpha decay

b) half-lives for alpha-decaying radionuclides are about the same as half-lives for beta-decaying ones

c) alpha decay reactions and beta decay reactions follow kinetics of the same order

Answer 1

a) the same nuclear changes (creation/destruction of specific nucleons) occur in beta decay as in alpha decay

This statement is FALSE because in case of apha decay two protons and two neutrons are emitted from its nucleus, during Alpha deacy an atom's proton count drops by two, leading to a new element formed. while in case of beta decay negatively charged electron is emitted out of the nucleus resulting in only small change in the mass of nucleus, and proton counts grows by one.

b) half-lives for alpha-decaying radionuclides are about the same as half-lives for beta-decaying ones

This statement is FALSE, according to Geiger–Nuttall law the half life depends on atomic number also and in case of the alpha and beta decay the resulting element is of different atomic number. hence they have differnt half-lives.

c) alpha decay reactions and beta decay reactions follow kinetics of the same order

This statement is TRUE, they follow same First order kinetics and the rate of reaction depends on the concentration of one reactant, not affected by the other chemical reactions.