Can the isotope 235U decay directly into an isotope of 236Pb through a single nuclear decay process?

• A. Yes, 235U can decay into 236Pb through alpha decay.
• B. No, because 235U and 236Pb have different atomic numbers and cannot be connected by a single decay.
• C. Yes, 235U can decay into 236Pb by emitting a neutron.
• D. No, because 235U is stable and does not undergo radioactive decay.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the atomic numbers and mass numbers of the isotopes involved: Uranium-235 (\(^{235}_{92}U\)) has atomic number 92 and mass number 235, while Lead-236 (\(^{236}_{82}Pb\)) has atomic number 82 and mass number 236.
2. Recall that in a single nuclear decay process, the change in atomic number and mass number must correspond to the emission of a specific particle (such as an alpha particle, beta particle, neutron, or gamma ray).
3. Analyze possible decay modes: For example, alpha decay decreases the atomic number by 2 and the mass number by 4; beta decay changes the atomic number by 1 without changing the mass number; neutron emission decreases the mass number by 1 without changing the atomic number.
4. Compare the changes needed to go from \(^{235}_{92}U\) to \(^{236}_{82}Pb\): The atomic number decreases by 10 (from 92 to 82) and the mass number increases by 1 (from 235 to 236), which does not match any single known decay particle emission.
5. Conclude that since no single nuclear decay process can simultaneously decrease the atomic number by 10 and increase the mass number by 1, \(^{235}U\) cannot decay directly into \(^{236}Pb\) through a single nuclear decay.