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  • Alpha Decay of Uranium-238: Identifying the Daughter Nuclide
    Here's how to determine the nuclide produced:

    * Alpha Decay: Alpha decay involves the emission of an alpha particle, which is a helium nucleus (²⁴He or ⁴₂He).

    * Uranium-238: This isotope has 92 protons (atomic number 92) and 146 neutrons (238 - 92 = 146).

    The Decay Process:

    When uranium-238 undergoes alpha decay:

    * Atomic Number: The atomic number decreases by 2 (92 - 2 = 90).

    * Mass Number: The mass number decreases by 4 (238 - 4 = 234).

    The Resulting Nuclide:

    The resulting nuclide has an atomic number of 90 and a mass number of 234. This corresponds to Thorium-234 (²³⁴Th).

    Therefore, the nuclide produced when uranium-238 decays by alpha emission is Thorium-234.

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