Excitation functions of several reactions induced by cr particles with energy up to 170 MeV on 59C0 are presented and analysed, together with published particle spectra, in the framework of the Exciton model. The satisfactory reproduction of proton and e spectra as well as of excitation functions of simple reactions in which pre-equilibrium emission dominates, indicates that a realistic description of the e-nucleus interaction mechanism and of the de-excitation of the composite nucleus has been achieved. Present results confirm that the interaction of the cr with individual nucleons of the target nucleus is the dominant process.Nuclear Reactions: 59C0 (e, xpynzcO, 10