Balancing nuclear equations is slightly different than balancing chemical equations. The major difference is that in nuclear rea
ctions we must account for protons, neutrons, and electrons, as well as write out the symbols for various chemical elements. In a nuclear equation, the products and reactants are symbolized as AZX where X is the chemical symbol for the element, A is the mass number, and Z is the atomic number. There are two main rules to remember when balancing nuclear equations: The total of the superscripts (mass numbers, A) in the reactants and products must be the same.
The total of the subscripts (atomic numbers, Z) in the reactants and products must be the same
What is the value of A in the following nuclear reaction?
As we known and also given that the total of the superscripts that is mass numbers, A in the reactants and products must be the same.The mass of products A can understand and calculated by this -
The sum of the product mass number of products = mass of reactant
237Np93 →233 Pa91 +AZX is the equation,
Solution:
Mass of reactants = 237
Mass of products are - Pa =233 and A = ?
233 + A = 237
A = 237 - 233
A = 4
So the equation will be:
237Np93 →233 Pa91 +4He2 (atomic number Z = 2 ∵ difference in the atomic number of reactant and products)
The atomic number is the amount of protons in element's nucleus, that's one reason why. The second reason is that the atomic mass is protons and neutrons combined, their estimated value, which doesn't show how much neutrons are in an element. It does show combined, but not specifically neutrons
