Determine the identity of the daughter nuclide from the alpha decay of Th.

Question

Determine the identity of the daughter nuclide from the alpha decay of  Th.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Alpha decay involves the emission of an alpha particle (which is a helium nucleus consisting of 2 protons and 2 neutrons) from the parent nucleus. In this case, the parent nucleus is 11ea6923_185b_7453_80d0_454fc979ffdf_TB6105_11 Th, which has an atomic number of 90 (i.e., it has 90 protons in its nucleus). When an alpha particle is emitted, the atomic number decreases by 2 and the mass number decreases by 4. Therefore, the daughter nucleus must have an atomic number of 88 and a mass number of 228. Option C is the only one that satisfies this condition, as it corresponds to 11ea6923_185b_9b66_80d0_bb065527f851_TB6105_11 Ra, which has an atomic number of 88 and a mass number of 228.

Determine the Identity of the Daughter Nuclide from the Alpha