Symbols Used in Nuclear Chemistry - Revision history

Conrad: Show the official table image instead of a wikitext copy; row anchors now land on the image

2026-10-25T21:39:45Z

Show the official table image instead of a wikitext copy; row anchors now land on the image

Conrad: Make the Regents Exam Questions table scroll sideways on narrow screens instead of widening the page

2026-10-25T21:31:20Z

Make the Regents Exam Questions table scroll sideways on narrow screens instead of widening the page

Conrad: Chemistry reference tables (2025 Edition): new reference table page

2026-10-25T19:49:07Z

Chemistry reference tables (2025 Edition): new reference table page

New page

{{Chemreftable
|name=Symbols Used in Nuclear Chemistry
|prev=The Electromagnetic Spectrum
|next=Selected Ions Forming Aqueous Solutions
|desc=Symbols Used in Nuclear Chemistry from the NYS Chemistry Reference Tables (2025 Edition): the notation for alpha and beta particles, gamma radiation, neutrons, positrons and protons, with mass number and charge. Supports HS-PS1-8.
}}
The '''Symbols Used in Nuclear Chemistry''' table from the ''Reference Tables for Physical Science: Chemistry'' (2025 Edition) gives the notation for the particles and radiation that appear in nuclear equations. It primarily supports [[HS-PS1-8]].

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
! Name !! Notation
|-
| alpha || 4 2He or 4 2α
|-
| beta || 0 −1e or 0 −1β
|-
| gamma || 0 0γ
|-
| neutron || 1 0n
|-
| positron || 0 +1e or 0 +1β
|-
| proton || 1 1H or 1 1p
|}

== What the nuclear symbols table shows ==
Each particle is written with its mass number as a superscript and its charge (the atomic number, for a nucleus) as a subscript, in front of the symbol. An alpha particle (a helium nucleus) has mass number 4 and charge 2+; a beta particle (an electron) has mass number 0 and charge 1−; gamma radiation has neither mass nor charge; a neutron has mass number 1 and no charge; a positron has mass number 0 and charge 1+; a proton has mass number 1 and charge 1+. Mass numbers and charges are what balance a nuclear equation: the totals on the two sides must be equal, which is how the missing particle or product of a decay is found (together with the atomic numbers on the [[Periodic Table of the Elements]]). The assessment boundary of [[HS-PS1-8]] limits decays to alpha, beta, positron and gamma.

The 2011 edition of the Chemistry Reference Tables listed the same symbols (Table O) and also gave a table of selected radioisotopes with their half-lives and decay modes (Table N). The 2025 edition has no radioisotope table, so when a question needs a nuclide's decay mode or half-life, it is given in the question cluster.

== Regents Exam Questions ==
Released Regents questions that cannot be answered without this table, listed by exam. Each link opens the question with its answer key; the standard is the one the question assesses.

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; text-align:center"
! style="padding: 0.5em 1.5em;" | Exam
! style="padding: 0.5em 1.5em;" | Cluster
! style="padding: 0.5em 1.5em;" | Question
! style="padding: 0.5em 1.5em;" | Standard
|-
| rowspan="2" style="background-color:white;" | [[August 2026 Chemistry Exam|August 2026 Chemistry Regents]]
| style="background-color:white;" | [[Questions:Electricity Generation in New York State|Electricity Generation in New York State]]
| style="background-color:white;" | [[Questions:Electricity Generation in New York State#q5|Question 5]]
| style="background-color:white;" | [[HS-PS1-8]]
|-
| style="background-color:white;" | [[Questions:Parade of Balloons|Parade of Balloons]]
| style="background-color:white;" | [[Questions:Parade of Balloons#q5|Question 43]]
| style="background-color:white;" | [[HS-PS1-8]]
|-
| rowspan="3" style="background-color:white;" | [[June 2026 Chemistry Exam|June 2026 Chemistry Regents]]
| style="background-color:white;" | [[Questions:How Glow Became Gloom|How Glow Became Gloom]]
| style="background-color:white;" | [[Questions:How Glow Became Gloom#q1|Question 1]]
| style="background-color:white;" | [[HS-PS1-8]]
|-
| style="background-color:white;" | [[Questions:Photosynthetic Pathways|Photosynthetic Pathways]]
| style="background-color:white;" | [[Questions:Photosynthetic Pathways#q2|Question 39]]
| style="background-color:white;" | [[HS-PS1-8]]
|-
| style="background-color:white;" | [[Questions:Indoor Air Pollution|Indoor Air Pollution]]
| style="background-color:white;" | [[Questions:Indoor Air Pollution#q2|Question 47]]
| style="background-color:white;" | [[HS-PS1-8]]
|}

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 The '''Symbols Used in Nuclear Chemistry''' table from the ''Reference Tables for Physical Science: Chemistry'' (2025 Edition) gives the notation for the particles and radiation that appear in nuclear equations. It primarily supports [[HS-PS1-8]].
-{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
+[[File:Symbols Used in Nuclear Chemistry.png|340px|class=img-fluid|alt=Symbols Used in Nuclear Chemistry from the Chemistry Reference Tables (2025 Edition)]]
 == What the nuclear symbols table shows ==

@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 Released Regents questions that cannot be answered without this table, listed by exam. Each link opens the question with its answer key; the standard is the one the question assesses.
 {| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; text-align:center"
 ! style="padding: 0.5em 1.5em;" | Exam
@@ Line 59: / Line 60: @@
 | style="background-color:white;" | [[HS-PS1-8]]
 |}