☢️ DAT Nuclear Chemistry: Alpha, Beta, Gamma Decay & Reaction Balancing

Though brief, nuclear chemistry questions pack a punch on the DAT—especially those testing:

• Decay processes

• Conservation of mass & charge

• Nuclear notation and balancing

• Half-life reasoning

🔎 Key Nuclear Decay Types

Type of Decay	Emission	Symbol	Effect on Nucleus
Alpha (α)	He nucleus (2p + 2n)	⁴₂He or α	Atomic ↓ 2, Mass ↓ 4
Beta (β⁻)	Electron	⁰₋₁e or β⁻	Neutron → proton, Atomic ↑ 1
Gamma (γ)	High energy photon	⁰₀γ	No change in atomic/mass #

DAT Tip: Alpha decay greatly reduces mass; beta decay increases atomic number.

⚖️ How to Balance Nuclear Reactions

Follow the rules:

1. Sum of mass numbers (top numbers) must be equal on both sides.

2. Sum of atomic numbers (bottom numbers) must also match.

Example: Alpha Decay of Uranium-238

²³⁸₉₂U → ²³⁴₉₀Th + ⁴₂He

🧬 Half-Life Concepts

• Half-life = time for half of radioactive sample to decay

• Common DAT format: how many grams remain after ‘n’ half-lives

• Use:

¹⁴₆C → ¹⁴₇N + ⁰₋₁β⁻

🎯 Call to Action

Stop guessing nuclear reactions—visualize and balance with precision.
At King of the Curve, you’ll get:

• Practice balancing nuclear decay equations

• Concept visuals like decay trees

• Real DAT-style half-life drills

👉 Study Free with KOTC

✅ Summary

• Know symbols for α, β⁻, and γ emissions

• Track mass and atomic numbers in every equation

• Expect questions on balancing, decay types, and half-life logic

• Visual learners? This is your advantage.

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