Chapter 19, Problem 19.64QP

Interpretation Introduction

Interpretation: It should be written the equation for a nuclear reaction by which nitrogen-18 can achieve stability.

Concept Introduction: 

• Unstable nuclei emit radiation spontaneously to become stable nuclei by losing energy. This process of emission of radiation by unstable nuclei is known as radioactive decay.
• These emitted radiations may be alpha radiations($\text{α}$), beta radiations($\text{β}$) or gamma radiations($\text{γ}$)
• These unstable nuclei are the nuclei with more than 83 protons and which do not lie within the belt of stability.
• The neutron proton ratio ($\text{N/P}$) of an atomic nucleus is the ratio of its number of neutrons to its number of protons and is important to predict the nuclear stability.
• For a stable nucleus $\text{N/P}$ ratio is one and which lies in the belt of stability of graph of number of protons to number neutrons.
•   When an isotope is above the belt of stability, $\text{N/P}$ ratio is high and there exists a beta emission to decrease the stability.

To write: The equation for a nuclear reaction by which nitrogen-18 can achieve stability.