A nucleus of uranium 238 decays by alpha emission to form a daughter nucleus, thorium 234.
Isotopes are atoms with the same number of protons but differ in numbers of neutrons.
Uranium-238 produces thorium-234 by alpha decay.
An α-particle is a helium nucleus. It contains 2 protons and 2 neutrons, for a mass number of 4.
During α-decay, an atomic nucleus emits an alpha particle. It transforms (or decays) into an atom with an atomic number 2 less and a mass number 4 less.
Thus, uranium-238 decays through α-particle emission to form thorium-234 according to the equation:
[tex]^{238}_{92}U\;\rightarrow\;^{234}_{90}Th\;+\;^4_2He[/tex]
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