RADIOACTIVE DECAY

Radioactive decay is the spontaneous breakdown of an atomic nucleus resulting in the release of energy
and matter from the nucleus. Remember that a radioisotope has unstable nuclei that does not have enough
binding energy to hold the nucleus together. The unstable nuclide is called the parent nuclide; the nuclide that
results from the decay is known as the daughter nuclide. The daughter nuclide may be stable, or it may decay
itself. The radiation produced during radioactive decay is such that the daughter nuclide lies closer to the band
of stability than the parent nuclide, so the location of a nuclide relative to the band of stability can serve as a
guide to the kind of decay it will undergo.

Figure 1. A nucleus of uranium-238 (the parent nuclide) undergoes α decay to form thorium-234 (the daughter nuclide). The alpha particle removes
two protons (green) and two neutrons (gray) from the uranium-238 nucleus.

Types of Radioactive Decay

Ernest Rutherford’s experiments involving the interaction of radiation with a magnetic or electric field helped
him determine that one type of radiation consisted of positively charged and relatively massive α particles; a
second type was made up of negatively charged and much less massive β particles; and a third was uncharged
electromagnetic waves, γ rays. We now know that α particles are high-energy helium nuclei, β particles are
high-energy electrons, and γ radiation compose high-energy electromagnetic radiation. We classify different
types of radioactive decay by the radiation produced.

Figure 2. Alpha particles, which are attracted to the negative plate and deflected by a relatively small amount, must be positively charged and
relatively massive. Beta particles, which are attracted to the positive plate and deflected a relatively large amount, must be negatively charged and
relatively light. Gamma rays, which are unaffected by the electric field, must be uncharged.
 Radioactive decay turns an unstable isotope into another element, which may be stable or unstable. The
process will continue until the element has become stable. Until then, the unstable element will undergo further
disintegration.

All elements that have an atomic number higher than 82 are radioactive. A radioactive atom decays into
lighter-weight isotopes of other elements. There are three radioactive decay series the uranium series, the
actinium series and the thorium series.

The uranium series begins with Uranium-238 (U-238) that decays into thorium-234 (Th-234) then
Protactinium-234 (Pa-234) until Lead-206 (Pb-206), a stable nuclide, is form is obtained. The actinium series
starts with U-235. After a series of alpha, beta and gamma emissions, Pb-207is obtained and the decay process
stops. The thorium series starts with Th-232 and ends only when Pb-208 is produced.

Figure 5. Uranium-238 undergoes a radioactive decay series consisting of 14 separate steps before producing
stable lead-206. This series consists of eight α decays and six β decays.

These three atoms decay until they become stable. The decay series usually ends up as an isotope of
Lead (Pb) since lead is a stable element already.

EXAMPLES OF RADIOACTIVE DECAYS

1. Alpha Decay. When a uranium atom of mass 238 emits an alpha particle (α) 42α or 42 He, it loses 4 atomic
mass units (2 protons and 2 neutrons). The resulting nucleus has an atomic mass of 234 and because it
lost 2 protons an atomic number of 90. The periodic table will show that tis new element is Thorium
(Th).
𝐴 𝐴−4 4 𝐴 𝐴−4 4
𝑍
X Y + 2
α or
𝑍
X Y + 2
He
𝑍−2 𝑍−2
Example:
238 238 − 4 4 238 238 − 4
92
U ____ + 2
α or
92
U ___ + 42 He
92 − 2 92 − 2

238 234 4 238 234

92
U Th + 2
α or
92
U Th + 42 He
90 90
2. Beta Decay. For beta decay, the mass number of the element will not change but the atomic number
will increase by one electron, thus producing a new element.
𝐴 𝐴 0 𝐴 𝐴 0
𝑍
X Y + −1
β or
𝑍
X Y + −1
e
𝑍+1 𝑍+1
Example:
234 234 0 234 234 0
90
Th ____ + −1
β or
90
U ____ + −1
e
90 + 1 90 + 1

234 234 0 234 234 0

90
Th Pa + −1
β or
90
Th Pa + −1
e
91 91

3. Gamma Decay. After emitting an alpha or a beta particle, the nuclei of radioactive elements are left in
an “excited state” with an excess energy. They release this energy by emitting gamma rays.
𝐴
𝐴
𝑍
X
𝑍
Y + 0
0
γ
Example:
229 233 ∗ 233
233
92
U
90
U + 4
2
α + 0
0
γ or U
92
U+ 0
0
γ
92

• 𝑖𝑡 𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑒𝑥𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑒.

4. Electron Capture. This is a nuclear decay process where a heavy isotope attracts an electron in the
lowest energy level into its positively charged nucleus. When the electron falls, it converts a proton to
a neutron.
0
𝐴
𝑍
X +
−1
e 𝐴
𝑍−1
Y
Example:

0
205
82
Pb +
−1
e 205
82 − 1
______
0
205
82
Pb +
−1
e 205
81
Tl

5. Positron emission (β+ decay) is the emission of a positron from the nucleus. Positron
emission is observed for nuclides in which the n:p ratio is low. These nuclides lie below the
band of stability. Positron decay is the conversion of a proton into a neutron with the emission
of a positron. The n:p ratio increases, and the daughter nuclide lies closer to the band of
stability than did the parent nuclide.

𝐴 𝐴 0
𝑍
X Y + +1
e
𝑍+1
 Example

15 15 0
8
O ____ + +1
e
8−1

15 15 0
8
O N + +1
e
7

Activity: Balancing Equations

Write a nuclear equation for each of the following examples of natural radioactive decay
reactions. The first one has been done for you.
Alpha Decay Beta Decay Gamma Decay Electron Capture Positron Emission
137 137 133 4 137 137 0 137 133 4 0 137 0 137 137 137 0
𝐵𝑎 𝐵𝑎 𝑋𝑒 + 𝐻𝑒 𝐵𝑎 𝐿𝑎 + 𝑒 𝐵𝑎 𝑋𝑒 + 𝐻𝑒 + γ 𝐵𝑎 + 𝑒 𝐶𝑠 𝐵𝑎 𝐶𝑠 + 𝑒
56 56 54 2 56 57 −1 56 54 2 0 56 −1 55 56 55 +1

222
𝑅𝑎
88
30
𝑃
15
99
𝑇𝑐
43
14
𝐶
6