Nuclear Equations - SOLUTIONS
1.
Bombardment of aluminum-27 by alpha particles produces phosphorous-30 and one other particle.
Write the nuclear equation for this reaction and identify the other particle.
27
13
1
Al 24   30
15 P  0 n
The other particle formed is a neutron
2. Plutonium-239 can be produced by bombarding uranium-238 with alpha particles. How many neutrons
will be produced as a by product of each reaction? Write the nuclear equation for this reaction?
238
92
1
U 24   239
94 Pu 3 0 n
Three neutrons are formed for every one nucleus of U-238 bombarded.
3. When bombarded with neutrons, cobalt-59 is converted to cobalt-60. What is the nuclear equation
for this reaction?
59
1
60
27 Co 0 n 27 Co
4. One method for producing plutonium-238 is by bombarding uranium-238 with deuterium (hydrogen2), which produced neptunium-238 and 2 neutrons. The unstable neptunium then decays to form
plutonium-238. Write the nuclear equations for this two-step reaction. What other particle is
produced in the second reaction?
238
92
1
U 21H238
93 Np  20 n
238
93
0
U238
94 Pu  1
A beta particle is also produced in the second reaction.
5. Neutron bombardment of plutonium-239 yields americium-240 and another particle. Write the
nuclear equation and identify the other particle produced.
239
94
0
Pu 01n240
95 Am 1
The other particle produced is a beta particle.
6. Alpha-particle bombardment of plutonium-239 produced a neutron and another radionuclide. Write
the nuclear equation for this reaction and identify the radionuclide.
239
94
Pu 24 01n  242
96 Cm
The radionuclide formed is Cm-242.
7. One possible result of the impact of a neutron on a uranium-235 nucleus is the splitting of the
uranium into tellurium-137, zirconium-97 and two other particles. Write the nuclear equation for this
reaction and identify the two other particles.
235
92
1
U 01n 13752Te  97
40 Zr  2 0 n
The two other particles formed are neutrons.
8. When bombarded with neutrons, lithium-6 produced an alpha particle and an isotope of hydrogen.
Write the nuclear equation for this reaction. What isotope of hydrogen is produced?
6
3
Li 01n 24   31H
The isotope formed is hydrogen-3.
9. With what particle would you bombard sulfur-32 to produce hydrogen-1 and phosphorus-32? Write
the appropriate nuclear equation?
32
16
32
S 01n11 H 15
P
10. With what particle would you bombard bismuth-209 to produce astatine-211 and 2 neutrons?
Express this reaction in the form of a nuclear equation.
209
83
1
Bi  24  211
85 At  2 0 n
The particle that bombards bismuth-209 is an alpha particle.