Alpha Decay of Uranium-238

238U → 234Th + 4He

개요

Uranium-238 emits an alpha particle (helium-4 nucleus) to become thorium-234. This is the first step in the uranium-238 decay series, which ultimately produces lead-206 through 14 decay steps. U-238 has a half-life of 4.47 billion years, roughly the age of the Earth.

참여 물질

역할 물질 계수 상태
반응물 Uranium U 1 (s)
생성물 Thorium Th 1 (s)
생성물 Helium He 1 (g)

일상 속 예시

Uranium-lead dating of rocks uses this decay to determine the age of geological formations and the Earth itself.

산업적 중요성

U-238은 우라늄 붕괴 계열의 모체입니다. 긴 반감기 덕분에 수십억 년 된 지질 구조의 연대 측정에 유용합니다.

성질

유형
Nuclear
가역 반응
아니오
에너지
발열
ΔH
-410000000.0 kJ/mol

관련 반응

Alpha Decay of Radium-226 Alpha Decay of Radon-222 Alpha Decay of Thorium-232 Neutron Capture by Uranium-238 Beta Decay of Iodine-131 Beta Decay of Strontium-90 Alpha Decay of Polonium-210 Americium-241 Alpha Decay Beta Decay of Cobalt-60 Electron Capture by Beryllium-7

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the equation for Alpha Decay of Uranium-238?
The balanced equation is: ²³⁸U → ²³⁴Th + ⁴He.
What type of reaction is Alpha Decay of Uranium-238?
Alpha Decay of Uranium-238 is a nuclear reaction.
Is Alpha Decay of Uranium-238 exothermic or endothermic?
Alpha Decay of Uranium-238 is exothermic (releases energy). The enthalpy change (ΔH) is -410000000.0 kJ/mol.