Question

The uranium series involves the nuclear decay of, amongst others, uranium-238 into lead-206. A series begins with the following set of emissions, write the seven decay processes that represent this sequence?

The uranium series involves the nuclear decay of, amongst others, uranium-238 into lead-206. If this series begins with the following set of emissions, write the seven decay processes that represent this sequence.
1 α emission, 2 β− emissions, 4 α emissions
Assume that the processes occur in the exact order described above. (Enter your answer in the form `_z^A X`

Answer 1

Here's what I get.

Explanation:

There are eight steps in the sequence to lead-214 and fourteen steps
to lead-204.

Here are the steps to lead-214. Note that there are five (not four) consecutive α emissions.

`bb(1.) ""_92^238"U" → ""_90^234"Th" + ""_2^4"He"`

`bb(2.) ""_90^234"Th" → ""_91^234"Pa" + ""_text(-1)^0"e"`

`bb(3.) ""_91^234"Pa" → ""_92^234"U" + ""_text(-1)^0"e"`

`bb(4.) ""_92^234"U" → ""_90^230"Th" + ""_2^4"He"`

`bb(5.) ""_90^230"Th" → ""_88^226"Ra" + ""_2^4"He"`

`bb(6.) ""_88^226"Ra" → ""_86^222"Rn" + ""_2^4"He"`

`bb(7.) ""_86^222"Rn" → ""_84^218"Po" + ""_2^4"He"`

`bb(8.) ""_84^218"Rn" → ""_82^214"Pb" + ""_2^4"He"`

Here is a schematic diagram of the decay sequence.