Question 1: Meitnerium undergoes alpha decay to form element 107, which in turn also emits an alpha particle. What are the atomic number and nucleon number of the isotope formed by these two steps? Write balanced nuclear equations for these two reactions.
Question 2: A particular uranium alloy has a density of 18.75 g/cm3. Please answer the following questions below, providing the explanation to your answers.
a. What volume is occupied by a critical mass of 49 kg of this alloy?
b. The critical mass can be decreased to 16 kg if the alloy is surrounded by a layer of natural uranium (which acts as a neutron reflector). What is the volume of such smaller mass? Compare your answers to the approximate volumes of a baseball, a volleyball, and a basketball.