Symbols Used in Nuclear Chemistry · Chemistry Reference Tables (2025 Edition)
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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.
| 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.