The nuclide undergoes –decay according to _ 92 ^ 238 U ; ;_ 90 ^ 234 Th + ;_2^4 He…

PHYSICS · Subjective · CBSE · Physics · Nuclei · Nuclei

Problem

The nuclide

_{92}^{238}\text U

undergoes

\alpha

–decay according to

_{92}^{238}\text U\;\longrightarrow\;_{90}^{234}\text{Th}+\;_2^4\text{He}

The atomic masses are:

m(_{92}^{238}\text U)=238.050788\,\text u

m(_{90}^{234}\text{Th})=234.043593\,\text u

m(_2^4\text{He})=4.002603\,\text u

. Take

1\,\text u = 931.5\,\text{MeV}/c^{2}

. (a) Calculate the Q–value of the decay in MeV. (b) Is the decay exothermic or endothermic? Give reason based on your answer to part (a).