What is the net reaction for the nuclear decay chain of #"U"-234#?
1 Answer
Jul 25, 2017
Explanation:
Uranium-234 decays to lead-206 in a series of 11 steps involving seven α-decays and four β-decays.
Here are the steps:
#""_92^234"U" → ""_90^230"Th" + ""_2^4"He"# #""_90^230"Th" → ""_88^226"Ra" + ""_2^4"He"# #""_88^226"Ra" → ""_86^222"Rn" + ""_2^4"He"# #""_86^222"Rn" → ""_84^218"Po" + ""_2^4"He"# #""_84^218"Po" → ""_82^214"Pb" + ""_2^4"He"# #""_82^214"Pb" → ""_83^214"Bi" + ""_text(-1)^0"e"# #""_83^214"Bi" → ""_84^214"Po" + ""_text(-1)^0"e"# #""_84^214"Po" → ""_82^210"Pb" + ""_2^4"He"# #""_82^210"Pb" → ""_83^210"Bi" + ""_text(-1)^0"e"# #""_83^210"Bi" → ""_84^210"Po" + ""_text(-1)^0"e"# #""_84^210"Po" → ""_82^206"Pb" + ""_2^4"He"#
Add them all up, and you get the overall equation