Question

What are the steps in balancing nuclear equations?

Short answer

The steps in balancing nuclear equations are identifying the type of nuclear reaction, balancing nucleons, balancing charges, and verifying atomic and mass numbers on both sides.

Step-by-step solution

Identify the type of nuclear reaction

Based on the given nuclear equation, identify if it is a type of alpha decay, beta decay, gamma decay, positron emission, or electron capture. This information is crucial to predict what the product of the nuclear reaction will be.

Balance the nucleons

Nucleons are particles in the atomic nucleus and include protons and neutrons. Both sides of the equation should have the same total number of nucleons. This is based on the law of conservation of mass where the total number of nucleons before the reaction equals the total number after the reaction.

Balance the charges

Charges have to be balanced in the equation. This is based on the law of conservation of charge, where the net charge before the reaction must be equal to the net charge after the reaction. This requires that the sum of the proton numbers (atomic numbers) of the reactants equals the sum of the proton numbers of the products.

Cross check the Atomic and Mass Numbers

The atomic numbers and mass numbers in both sides of the equation should be checked and verified to ensure that they are equal. If the totals on both sides match, then the equation is balanced.