Question

Which table correctly matches the emitted particle(s) with the nuclear process?
A)

Beta Decay	Electron
Fission	Neutrons
Alpha Decay	Helium Nucleus
Gamma Decay	Photon

B)

Beta Decay	Helium Nucleus
Fission	Photon
Alpha Decay	Electron
Gamma Decay	Neutrons

C)

Beta Decay	Neutrons
Fission	Electron
Alpha Decay	Helium Nucleus
Gamma Decay	Photon

D) None of the above

Answer 1

Hint: Various types of particles emitted during different nuclear reaction processes. All the particles have different characteristics among their energy, mass, size and shape.

Complete step by step solution: Let’s discuss the different nuclear processes. Nuclear process includes three types of reactions: Fission, Fusion and Radioactive decay (Alfa, Beta & Gamma). In these three processes, different actions are happening. The particles emitted may have different mass, energy, size & shape. And these characteristics determine the nature of emission. But the total number of neutrons plus protons does not change in any nuclear process.

Let’s discuss each emission process in detail:
We have learnt that BETA DECAY is a radioactive process in which a beta particle is emitted from the atomic nucleus and changes it into an isobar. The beta particle emitted is charged electron or positron, Thus beta decay is related to electron.

But in a nuclear FISSION reaction, the nucleus of the atom splits to smaller nuclei and neutrons. And these neutrons may cause further reactions and be the cause for the chain reaction. Thus the fission process is directly linked with neutron particles.

Now, ALPHA DECAY as you may know, is a radioactive decay process in which the atomic nucleus emits an alpha particle. These alpha particles are positively charged and have the characteristics of a helium nucleus. That is, alpha decay emits particles in the form of Helium nucleus. Thus the alpha decay is linked with the helium nucleus.

And in GAMMA DECAY, it is a spontaneous electromagnetic process and the unstable nucleus radiates gamma particles in the form of photons or packets of electromagnetic energy, of extremely short wavelength. Thus gamma decay is directly linked with photons.

By studying each nuclear process in detail, we can conclude the relations as given below:
Beta Decay- Electron
Fission- Neutrons
Alpha Decay- Helium Nucleus
Gamma- Photon

Final answer is:

Beta Decay	Electron
Fission	Neutrons
Alpha Decay	Helium Nucleus
Gamma Decay	Photon

Note: There are different types of nuclear reactions having different reaction processes and characteristics as per the particles emitted. The nuclear reactions are of two kinds in general. They are nuclear decay reactions and nuclear transmutation reactions. In Nuclear decay relation, the radiation emitted is from an unstable nucleus and is transformed into the nucleus of one or more other elements. But in a nuclear transmutation reaction, a nucleus reacts with a subatomic particle or another nucleus to form a product nucleus that is more massive than earlier. Gamma decay is a spontaneous electromagnetic process that radiates gamma rays (photons).