QUESTION IMAGE
Question
- calculate: turn on write equation. what you see is an equation that shows the original uranium atom on the left. the boxes on the right represent the daughter product—the atom produced by radioactive decay—and the emitted alpha particle. fill in the first set of boxes with the mass number and atomic number of the predicted daughter product and the next set of boxes with the mass number and atomic number of the alpha particle. after filling in the boxes in the gizmo, write the completed equation below ( click on the picture below, select edit) 238 92 u
Step1: Recall alpha - decay formula
In alpha - decay, the general equation is $_{Z}^{A}X
ightarrow_{Z - 2}^{A - 4}Y+_{2}^{4}\alpha$, where $_{Z}^{A}X$ is the parent nucleus, $_{Z - 2}^{A - 4}Y$ is the daughter nucleus, and $_{2}^{4}\alpha$ is the alpha - particle. For uranium - 238 ($_{92}^{238}U$), $A = 238$ and $Z=92$.
Step2: Calculate mass number of daughter product
The mass number of the daughter product $A_d=A - 4$. Substituting $A = 238$, we get $A_d=238 - 4=234$.
Step3: Calculate atomic number of daughter product
The atomic number of the daughter product $Z_d=Z - 2$. Substituting $Z = 92$, we get $Z_d=92 - 2 = 90$.
Step4: Identify the daughter element
The element with atomic number $Z = 90$ is thorium (Th).
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The decay equation is $_{92}^{238}U
ightarrow_{90}^{234}Th+_{2}^{4}\alpha$. The mass number of the daughter product is 234 and the atomic number is 90.