Radioactive decay series for uranium 238, thorium 232, uranium 235 and neptunium 232. Tables and charts for student to fill out.

1. Nuclear Chemistry SJBoylan August 2019 Page 1 of 10
Nuclear
Chemistry
Stephen Joseph Boylan July 2019

2. Nuclear Chemistry SJBoylan August 2019 Page 2 of 10
https://www.nndc.bnl.gov/nudat2/
Name of Element ______________ Atomic Number ____ Neutron Number _____ Mass Number _____
Name of Element ______________ Atomic Number ____ Neutron Number _____ Mass Number _____
Name of Element ______________ Atomic Number ____ Neutron Number _____ Mass Number _____
Name of Element ______________ Atomic Number ____ Neutron Number _____ Mass Number _____
Name of Element _______________ Atomic Number ____ Neutron Number _____ Mass Number _____

3. Nuclear Chemistry SJBoylan August 2019 Page 3 of 10
The uranium series U-238 4n + 2 series showing only one path. Complete the table.
Table N207 – Natural Radioactive Decay Series 4n + 2 for Uranium 238
Name of
element
Reactant Half life Decay
mode
product Atomic
number
product
Neutro
n
number
product
Mass
number
product
n from
4n + 2
Neutron capture chain in supernova
explosion
U-238
1 U-238 4.51x109
year alpha Th-234
2 Th-234 24.1 day beta Pa-234
3 Pa-234 1.18 minute beta U-234
4 U-234 2.48x105
year alpha Th-230
5 Th-230 7.52x104
year alpha Ra-226
6 Ra-226 1622 year alpha Rn-222
7 Rn-222 3.825 day alpha Po-218
8 Po-218 3.05 minute alpha Pb-214
9 Pb-214 26.8 minute beta Bi-214
10 Bi-214 19.7 minute beta Po-214
11 Po-214 1.6x10-4
second alpha Pb-210
12 Pb-210 22 year beta Bi-210
13 Bi-210 5.01 day beta Po-210
14 Po-210 138.4 day alpha Pb-206
Pb-206 Stable lead
isotope for 4n +
2 series
Notes: 1) reference Nuclear and Radiochemistry 2nd
., G. Friedlander, J. W. Kennedy, J. M. Miller, John Wiley
and Sons Inc., NewYork 1964
2) In this table only one path is shown for clarity. There are other paths that are not shown.
Answer these questions.
__ 1. Write the symbol for the isotope at the start of the series. _______________________
__ 2. Write the symbol for the isotope at the end of the series _______________________
__ 3. How many nuclear reactions are there? ________________________
__ 4. How many alpha decay reactions? ____________________________
__ 5. How many beta decay reactions? _____________________________
__ 6. Write the nuclear reaction equation for the overall reaction of the complete series.
______________________________________________________________________________
___ 7. Write the symbols for the three isotopes with the greatest half live.
_____________________________________________________________________________
___ 8. In a sample of this material that is at equilibrium, write the symbols for the four isotopes expected to have
the large atom fractions.
________________________________________________________________________________

4. Nuclear Chemistry SJBoylan August 2019 Page 4 of 10
U
92
Pa
91
Th
90
Ac
89
Ra
88
Fr
87
Rn
86
At
85
Po
84
Bi
83
Pb
82
Tl
81
146
145
144
143
142
141
140
139
138
137
136
135
134
133
132
131
130
129
128
127
126
125
124
U
92
Pa
91
Th
90
Ac
89
Ra
88
Fr
87
Rn
86
At
85
Po
84
Bi
83
Pb
82
Tl
81

5. Nuclear Chemistry SJBoylan August 2019 Page 5 of 10
The thorium series Th-232 4n + 4 series showing only one path. Complete the table.
Table N208 – Natural Radioactive Decay Series 4n + 2 for Thorium 232
Name of
element
Reactant Half life Decay
mode
product Atomic
number
product
Neutro
n
number
product
Mass
number
product
n from
4n + 4
Th-232
1 Th-232 1.39x1010
year alpha Ra-228
2 Ra-228 6.7 year beta Ac-228
3 Ac-228 6.13 hour beta Th-228
4 Th-228 1.90 year alpha Ra-224
5 Ra-224 3.64 day alpha Rn-220
6 Rn-220 54.5 second alpha Po-216
7 Po-216 0.158 second alpha Pb-212
8 Pb-212 10.6 hour beta Bi-212
9 Bi-212 60.6 minute beta Po-212
10 Po-212 3.0x10-7
second alpha Pb-208
Pb-208 Stable lead
isotope for 4n +
4 series
Notes: 1) reference Nuclear and Radiochemistry 2nd
., G. Friedlander, J. W. Kennedy, J. M. Miller, John Wiley
and Sons Inc., NewYork 1964
2) In this table only one path is shown for clarity. There are other paths that are not shown.
Answer these questions.
__ 1. Write the symbol for the isotope at the start of the series. _______________________
__ 2. Write the symbol for the isotope at the end of the series _______________________
__ 3. How many nuclear reactions are there? ________________________
__ 4. How many alpha decay reactions? ____________________________
__ 5. How many beta decay reactions? _____________________________
__ 6. Write the nuclear reaction equation for the overall reaction of the complete series.
______________________________________________________________________________
___ 7. Write the symbols for the three isotopes with the greatest half live.
_____________________________________________________________________________
___ 8. In a sample of this material that is at equilibrium, write the symbols for the four isotopes expected to have
the large atom fractions.
________________________________________________________________________________
___ 9. Show the decay series in the nuclide chart.

6. Nuclear Chemistry SJBoylan August 2019 Page 6 of 10
U
92
Pa
91
Th
90
Ac
89
Ra
88
Fr
87
Rn
86
At
85
Po
84
Bi
83
Pb
82
Tl
81
146
145
144
143
142
141
140
139
138
137
136
135
134
133
132
131
130
129
128
127
126
125
124
U
92
Pa
91
Th
90
Ac
89
Ra
88
Fr
87
Rn
86
At
85
Po
84
Bi
83
Pb
82
Tl
81

7. Nuclear Chemistry SJBoylan August 2019 Page 7 of 10
The uranium series U-235 4n + 3 series showing only one path. Complete the table.
Table N209 – Natural Radioactive Decay Series
Name of
element
Reactant Half life Decay
mode
product Atomic
number
product
Neutro
n
number
product
Mass
number
product
n from
4n +3
U-235
1 U-235 alpha Th-231
2 Th-231 beta Pa-231
3 Pa-231 alpha Ac-227
4 Ac-227 beta Th-227
5 Th-227 alpha Ra-223
6 Ra-223 alpha Rn-219
7 Rn-219 alpha Po-215
8 Po-215 alpha Pb-211
9 Pb-211 beta Bi-211
10 Bi-211 alpha Tl-207
11 Tl-207 beta Pb-208
Pb-208 Stable lead
isotope for 4n +
3 series
Notes: 1) reference Nuclear and Radiochemistry 2nd
., G. Friedlander, J. W. Kennedy, J. M. Miller, John Wiley
and Sons Inc., NewYork 1964
2) In this table only one path is shown for clarity. There are other paths that are not shown.
Answer these questions.
__ 1. Write the symbol for the isotope at the start of the series. _______________________
__ 2. Write the symbol for the isotope at the end of the series _______________________
__ 3. How many nuclear reactions are there? ________________________
__ 4. How many alpha decay reactions? ____________________________
__ 5. How many beta decay reactions? _____________________________
__ 6. Write the nuclear reaction equation for the overall reaction of the complete series.
______________________________________________________________________________
___ 7. Write the symbols for the three isotopes with the greatest half live.
_____________________________________________________________________________
___ 8. In a sample of this material that is at equilibrium, write the symbols for the four isotopes expected to have
the large atom fractions.
________________________________________________________________________________
___ 9. Show the decay series in the nuclide chart.

8. Nuclear Chemistry SJBoylan August 2019 Page 8 of 10
U
92
Pa
91
Th
90
Ac
89
Ra
88
Fr
87
Rn
86
At
85
Po
84
Bi
83
Pb
82
Tl
81
146
145
144
143
142
141
140
139
138
137
136
135
134
133
132
131
130
129
128
127
126
125
124
U
92
Pa
91
Th
90
Ac
89
Ra
88
Fr
87
Rn
86
At
85
Po
84
Bi
83
Pb
82
Tl
81

9. Nuclear Chemistry SJBoylan August 2019 Page 9 of 10
The neptunium series Np-232 4n + 1 series showing only one path. Complete the table.
Table N210 – Natural Radioactive Decay Series 4n + 1 for Neptunium 237
Name of
element
Reactant Half life Decay
mode
product Atomic
number
product
Neutro
n
number
product
Mass
number
product
n from
4n + 4
Neutron irradiation of uranium in a
nuclear reactor
Np-237
1 Np-237 2.2x106
year alpha Pa-233
2 Pa-233 27.0 day beta U-233
3 U-233 1.62x105
year alpha Th-229
4 Th-229 7340 year alpha Ra-225
5 Ra-225 14.8 day beta Ac-225
6 Ac-225 10.0 day alpha Fr-221
7 Fr-221 4.8 minute alpha At-217
8 At-217 0.018 second alpha Bi-213
9 Bi-213 47 minute beta Po-213
10 Po-213 4.2x10-6
second alpha Pb-209
11 Pb-209 3.3 hour beta Bi-209
Bi-209 Stable bismuth
isotope for
4n + 1 series
Notes: 1) reference Nuclear and Radiochemistry 2nd
., G. Friedlander, J. W. Kennedy, J. M. Miller, John Wiley
and Sons Inc., NewYork 1964
2) In this table only one path is shown for clarity. There are other paths that are not shown.
Answer these questions.
__ 1. Write the symbol for the isotope at the start of the series. _______________________
__ 2. Write the symbol for the isotope at the end of the series _______________________
__ 3. How many nuclear reactions are there? ________________________
__ 4. How many alpha decay reactions? ____________________________
__ 5. How many beta decay reactions? _____________________________
__ 6. Write the nuclear reaction equation for the overall reaction of the complete series.
______________________________________________________________________________
___ 7. Write the symbols for the three isotopes with the greatest half live.
_____________________________________________________________________________
___ 8. In a sample of this material that is at equilibrium, write the symbols for the four isotopes expected to have
the large atom fractions.
________________________________________________________________________________
___ 9. Show the decay series in the nuclide chart.

10. Nuclear Chemistry SJBoylan August 2019 Page 10 of 10
U
92
Pa
91
Th
90
Ac
89
Ra
88
Fr
87
Rn
86
At
85
Po
84
Bi
83
Pb
82
Tl
81
146
145
144
143
142
141
140
139
138
137
136
135
134
133
132
131
130
129
128
127
126
125
124
U
92
Pa
91
Th
90
Ac
89
Ra
88
Fr
87
Rn
86
At
85
Po
84
Bi
83
Pb
82
Tl
81