Polonium-210 decays emitting an alpha particle - Leaving Cert Chemistry - Question iii - 2007

The alpha decay of polonium-210 can be represented as follows:

$^{210}_{84}Po \rightarrow ^{206}_{82}Pb + ^{4}_{2}He$

Where:

• y (mass number) = 206
• x (atomic number) = 82
• Z (elemental symbol) = Pb

This equation demonstrates the transformation of polonium-210 into lead-206 while emitting an alpha particle, represented as helium-4.