The Nuclear Atom

Salaam (May God Bless You). The nuclear atoms, the radioactive isotopes, have a radioactive nuclide which slowly loses mass to form gamma radiation. Many other types of radiation are emitted by various materials. In case of an alpha particle emitter, the isotope mass loses its protons and neutrons to form a helium nucleus. The orginal element would lose 4 nucleon number and 2 proton numbers.

Other elements emit beta particles but they do not form any ions because the neutrons divide into a proton and electron. Which is why when a beta particle is emitted the proton number of the element is increased.