What is the decay of thorium-234?
beta decay
Thorium-234 is a nucleus that undergoes beta decay.
When a thorium-234 nucleus undergoes alpha decay the product would be?
The thorium-234 produced in this reaction is also unstable, so it will undergo radioactive decay as well. The alpha particle ( 2 4 H e ) produced in the reaction can join with two free electrons to form the element helium.
What is the nuclear equation for the beta decay of thorium-234?
This reaction is represented by the equation: 90 234 T h → 91 234 P a + − 1 0 e + energy.
What is the most damaging nuclear decay to the human body?
Alpha particles are the most harmful internal hazard as compared with gamma rays and beta particles. Radioactive materials that emit alpha and beta particles are most harmful when swallowed, inhaled, absorbed, or injected.
Is thorium-234 stable?
After 232Th, the most stable of them (with respective half-lives) are 230Th (75,380 years), 229Th (7,340 years), 228Th (1.92 years), 234Th (24.10 days), and 227Th (18.68 days).
How many neutrons does thorium-234 have?
144
The atomic number of Th is 90. The mass number is 234. Hence, the number of neutrons in Th-234 is 144.
How do you solve for alpha decay?
Alpha Decay – YouTube
How is alpha decay used in everyday life?
They are used in smoke detectors. They are a safe power source radioisotopes and space probes. Alpha decay is safer than other emissions.
How do you calculate alpha decay?
Can alpha radiation penetrate skin?
They are relatively heavy, and only travel about an inch in air. Alpha particles can easily be shielded by a single sheet of paper and cannot penetrate the outer dead layer of skin, so they pose no danger when their source is outside the human body.
What is the strongest ionizing radiation?
the alpha particle
Because of the large mass of the alpha particle, it has the highest ionizing power and the greatest ability to damage tissue. That same large size of alpha particles, however, makes them less able to penetrate matter.
Why dont we use thorium reactors?
Even though a conventional meltdown would be unlikely, thorium still produces harmful radiation that needs to be contained, and something could always go wrong. But the real reason we use uranium over thorium is a result of wartime politics.
Why thorium is not used in nuclear reactors?
Thorium cannot in itself power a reactor; unlike natural uranium, it does not contain enough fissile material to initiate a nuclear chain reaction. As a result it must first be bombarded with neutrons to produce the highly radioactive isotope uranium-233 – ‘so these are really U-233 reactors,’ says Karamoskos.
Does thorium glow?
Applications of thorium dioxide (ThO2): Mantles in portable gas lights. These mantles glow with a dazzling light (unrelated to radioactivity) when heated in a gas flame.
What is an alpha decay explain with an example?
α-decay: When a radioactive nucleus disintegrates by emitting an αα-particle, the atomic number decreases by two and mass number decreases by four. Example: 88Ra226→86Rn222+2He4.
How do you calculate energy released in alpha decay?
Strategy. Nuclear reaction energy, such as released in α decay, can be found using the equation E = (Δm)c2.
Why is alpha decay important?
It is used in the treatment of skeletal metastases (cancers in the bones). Alpha decay can provide a safe power source for radioisotope thermoelectric generators used for space probes and were used for artificial heart pacemakers. Alpha decay is much more easily shielded against than other forms of radioactive decay.
What is alpha decay give an example?
Alpha decay. An example of this decay occurs in the uranium-238 nucleus that decays into thorium-234 nucleus. Alpha particle has a relatively large mass, positive electric charge, and poor radiation penetration, and it can be stopped by a paper sheet (Ilem-Ozdemir and Asikoglu, 2012).
What is the Q value of alpha decay?
The “Q-value” of the decay, Qα is the difference of the mass of the parent and the combined mass of the daughter and the α-particle, multiplied by c2. Qα = (mP − mD − mα)c2.
What can block alpha radiation?
In general, alpha particles have a very limited ability to penetrate other materials. In other words, these particles of ionizing radiation can be blocked by a sheet of paper, skin, or even a few inches of air.
Can alpha particles penetrate skin?
What can alpha decay penetrate?
Alpha particles can’t penetrate the normal layer of dead cells on the outside of our skin but can damage the cornea of the eye. Alpha-particle radiation is normally only a safety concern if the radioactive decay occurs from an atom that is already inside the body or a cell.
Can you touch thorium?
HAZARD SUMMARY
* Thorium Dioxide can affect you when breathed in and may be absorbed through the skin. * Thorium Dioxide is a CARCINOGEN–HANDLE WITH EXTREME CAUTION. * Thorium Dioxide is broken down in the body into radioactive substances. * Thorium Dioxide may be contaminated with radioactive Thorium.
What country has the most thorium?
Thorium resources are found throughout the world, most notably in Australia, Brazil, India, and the United States. India has the largest resources (850,000 tons), followed by Brazil (630,000 tons), and Australia and the United States (600,000 tons each).
Can a car run on thorium?
A US company says it will have a nuclear-powered prototype vehicle on the road within two years. Laser Power Systems from Connecticut is developing a method of propulsion that uses thorium to produce electricity to power a car engine.