What is the product element (isotope) produced when protactinium undergoes alpha decay?

1 Answer
David G.
May 22, 2017

Protactinium (Pr) is element number 91. It has 91 protons and 75 neutrons. Alpha decay reduces the atomic number by 2 and the atomic number (also, and better, called 'nucleon number') by 4 (2 protons and 2 neutrons). The product element is element number 89, actinium (Ac), with 162 nucleons, so Ac-162.

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