What happens when uranium-238 decays by alpha emission?

What happens when uranium-238 decays by alpha emission?

A nucleus of uranium 238 decays by alpha emission to form a daughter nucleus, thorium 234. This thorium in turn transforms into protactinium 234, and then undergoes beta-negative decay to produce uranium 234.

When uranium-238 emits alpha particles decay into?

thorium-234 nucleus
Alpha decay. An example of this decay occurs in the uranium-238 nucleus that decays into thorium-234 nucleus. Alpha particle has a relatively large mass, positive electric charge, and poor radiation penetration, and it can be stopped by a paper sheet (Ilem-Ozdemir and Asikoglu, 2012).

What is the charge of uranium-238?

+92
The heaviest natural element is Uranium-238, which contains 92 protons for 146 neutrons. The nucleus, therefore, has a combined mass of 238 nucleons, and a charge of +92.

What forms when uranium-238 decays?

thorium-234
Uranium-238 decays by alpha emission into thorium-234, which itself decays by beta emission to protactinium-234, which decays by beta emission to uranium-234, and so on. The various decay products, (sometimes referred to as “progeny” or “daughters”) form a series starting at uranium-238.

What happens when uranium-238 undergoes beta decay?

A nucleus of uranium-238 decays by alpha emission to form a daughter nucleus, thorium-234. This thorium, in turn, transforms into protactinium-234, and then undergoes beta-negative decay to produce uranium-234.

Which of the following is emitted when uranium-238 decays to thorium-234?

alpha emission
Uranium-238 decays by alpha emission into thorium-234, which itself decays by beta emission to protactinium-234, which decays by beta emission to uranium-234, and so on.

What is the charge of an alpha particle?

+2
A positively charged particle ejected spontaneously from the nuclei of some radioactive elements. It is identical to a helium nucleus that has a mass number of 4 and an electrostatic charge of +2. It has low penetrating power and a short range (a few centimeters in air).

When uranium-234 undergoes alpha decay what particles are created?

thorium-
Uranium-234 nuclei decay by alpha emission to thorium-230, except for the tiny fraction (parts per billion) of nuclei which undergo spontaneous fission.

What is the nuclear equation for uranium-238 after Alpha?

During α-decay, an atomic nucleus emits an alpha particle. It transforms (or decays) into an atom with an atomic number 2 less and a mass number 4 less. Thus, uranium-238 decays through α-particle emission to form thorium-234 according to the equation: #””_92^238″U” →color(white)(l) _90^234″Th” + _2^4″He”#.

How does the nucleus of uranium 238 decay?

Joseph Priest, in University Physics, 1984 The element uranium 238, 238U, decays by emitting an alpha particle (helium nucleus). This nuclear reaction may be written The subscripts give the number of protons in each nucleus and are therefore a measure of positive nuclear charge.

Which is an alpha particle produced by alpha decay?

Uranium-238 produces thorium-234 by alpha decay. An α-particle is a helium nucleus. It contains 2 protons and 2 neutrons, for a mass number of 4. During α-decay, an atomic nucleus emits an alpha particle.

When does an atom emit an alpha particle?

During α-decay, an atomic nucleus emits an alpha particle. It transforms (or decays) into an atom with an atomic number 2 less and a mass number 4 less.