Question

Thorium-232 undergoes radioactive decay until a stable isotope is reached. Write the reactions for the chain reaction. There are eleven (11) steps beginning with electron capture. Each product becomes the reactant of the next decay. Name the final stable isotope using "Longhand notation".

Answer 1

Thorium-232 undergoes a series of alpha and beta decays in its radioactive decay chain, ultimately forming the stable lead-208 isotope.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student has inquired about the series of radioactive decay reactions for Thorium-232 until it becomes a stable isotope. Thorium-232 undergoes a complex decay chain that involves both alpha and beta decay, culminating in a stable end-product. In a radioactive decay series, unstable nuclei undergo a sequence of decays until a stable nucleus is reached. For Thorium-232, this means multiple steps involving the emission of alpha and beta particles. Alpha (α) decays reduce the atomic number by 2, and beta (β) decays can either increase the atomic number through β- decay or decrease it through β+ or electron capture. The final stable isotope after the decay series of Thorium-232 is lead-208 (Pb-208), expressed in longhand notation as lead-208 (208Pb).