In a nuclear reaction, which of the following is conserved?
Correct answer: C. atomic number, mass number and energy
- A. atomic number only
- B. Mass number only
- C. atomic number, mass number and energy
- D. Energy only
Explanation
Conservation of atomic number:The atomic number represents the number of protons in an atomic nucleus.In a nuclear reaction, the total number of protons (atomic number) is conserved.Conservation of mass number:During a chemical reaction, atoms are neither created nor destroyed.The atoms of the reactants are just rearranged to form products. Hence, there is no change in mass in a chemical reaction.Conservation of energy:Energy is conserved in nuclear reactions. The total energy before a reaction is equal to the total energy after the reaction.This includes the rest mass energy (from mass-energy equivalence, E= mc2)and any kinetic or potential energy involved in the reaction.
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Atomic nuclei contain protons and neutrons, with nuclear size, mass defect and binding energy describing their stability. The work covers alpha, beta and gamma decay, decay equations, half-life and decay rate, along with radiation safety and medical applications such as imaging, radiotherapy and tracers.
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