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Q: science ( No Answer,   4 Comments )
Question  
Subject: science
Category: Science
Asked by: lala37-ga
List Price: $2.00
Posted: 18 Apr 2005 08:47 PDT
Expires: 18 May 2005 08:47 PDT
Question ID: 510819
write out the complete alpha decay for uranium 235
Answer  
There is no answer at this time.

Comments  
Subject: Re: science
From: pforcelli-ga on 18 Apr 2005 11:11 PDT
 
Golly, this sounds like a homework problem...
Subject: Re: science
From: hfshaw-ga on 18 Apr 2005 15:25 PDT
 
Do a Google search for "uranium decay series".  The answer you seek
can be found in many places on the web, e.g.,
<http://www.ead.anl.gov/pub/doc/NaturalDecaySeries.pdf>.
Subject: Re: science
From: engr_ucr-ga on 22 Apr 2005 16:00 PDT
 
Well, by either searching on google or reading your textbook, you will
realize what a alpha particle and a beta particle look like.  Alpha
particle is a Helium with 2 protons and 2 neutrons (atomic mass =
protons + neutrons = 2+2 =4).

Now that we have established what an alpha particle look like, we need
to understand what is alpha decay.  Alpha decay simply means when a
certain element undergoes this decay, it releases an alpha particle. 
So when you have a certain element (for your case, U235), when it
undergoes alpha decay, it releases an alpha particle, and becomes a
more stable compound.  To figure out the answer to your problem, all
you have to think about is since it EMITS an alpha particle, then you
have to subtract a Helium with 2 protons and 2 neutrons from the
element, then whatever it forms will be your answer.

Similar thing applies for beta decay, however, with beta decay, you
can have a beta-plus decay or a beta-minus decay.  With a beta-minus
decay, it releases a nutrino and a negatively charged electron (what's
the change in atomic mass here?).  A beta-plus decay, the element
releases a neutrino and a positive electron called positron (sounds
weird, but that's how it is). Using the above information, you should
be able to solve your problem.

you can find all these information through the internet easily, you
should definitely try to solve your next problem by utilizing all
resources such as the internet (make sure your answer comes from a
valid source though), the library, your textbook, etc.  Good luck with
your assignment!
Subject: Re: science
From: itsekurity-ga on 28 Apr 2005 01:28 PDT
 
Uranium was discovered by Martin Heinrich Klaproth, a German chemist,
in the mineral pitchblende (primarily a mix of uranium oxides) in
1789. Although Klaproth, as well as the rest of the scientific
community, believed that the substance he extracted from pitchblende
was pure uranium, it was actually uranium dioxide (UO2). After
noticing that 'pure' uranium reacted oddly with uranium tetrachloride
(UCl4), Eugène-Melchoir Péligot, a French chemist isolated pure
uranium by heating uranium dioxide with potassium in a platinum
crucible. Radioactivity was first discovered in 1896 when Antoine
Henri Becquerel, a French physicist, detected it from a sample of
uranium. Today, uranium is obtained from uranium ores such as
pitchblende, uraninite (UO2), carnotite (K2(UO2)2VO4·1-3H2O) and
autunite (Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2·10H2O) as well as from phosphate rock
(Ca3(PO4)2), lignite (brown coal) and monazite sand ((Ce, La, Th, Nd,
Y)PO4). Since there is little demand for uranium metal, uranium is
usually sold in the form of sodium diuranate (Na2U2O7·6H2O), also
known as yellow cake, or triuranium octoxide (U3O8).

Since it is naturally radioactive, uranium, usually in the form of
uranium dioxide (UO2), is most commonly used in the nuclear power
industry to generate electricity. Naturally occurring uranium consists
of three isotopes: uranium-234, uranium-235 and uranium-238. Although
all three isotopes are radioactive, only uranium-235 is a fissionable
material that can be used for nuclear power.

When a fissionable material is struck by a neutron, its nucleus can
release energy by splitting into smaller fragments. If some of the
fragments are other neutrons, they can strike other atoms and cause
them to split as well. A fissionable material, such as uranium-235, is
a material capable of producing enough free neutrons to sustain a
nuclear chain reaction.

Only 0.7204% of naturally occurring uranium is uranium-235. This is
too low a concentration to sustain a nuclear chain reaction without
the help of a material known as a moderator. A moderator is a material
that can slow down a neutron without absorbing it. Slow neutrons are
more likely to react with uranium-235 and reactors using natural
uranium can be made using graphite or heavy water as a moderator.
Methods also exist for concentrating uranium-235. Once the levels of
uranium-235 have been increased to about 3%, normal water can be used
as a moderator.
 
its all here:
http://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele092.html

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