Plutonium, 244/94 PU, is a radioactive nuclide. When one of these atoms decays, a series of alpha and beta particle emissions occurs until the lead isotope, 208/82 Pb, is produced. Effectively ______ alpha particles and ______ beta particles are emitted per plutonium atom.
a. 6 and 6
b. 12 and 8
c. 18 and 9
d. 9 and 6
e. 3 and 3