https://imgur.com/SmUaQieI'm now sure how to find how many alpha decays happen in this decay series
All I know is that when an alpha particle is ejected from the nucleus of an element, that element's mass number goes down by 4 while the atomic number goes down by 2, since an alpha particle is known to be the nucleus of a helium atom.
What I have tried to do is work out the total number of protons that have been lost during the decay series so this is simply 92 - 82 = 10, so 10 protons have been lost.
In doing so I thought that to find the number of alpha decays, then you do 10/2 = 5, so five alpha decays happen because that is the only number of decays that can lose 10 protons.
But I also know that the total number of protons and neutrons lost is 236 -204 = 32, hence 32 protons and neutrons are lost all together. If I divide 32 by 4 that gives 8. So is there meant to be 8 alpha decays then? When I thought before that only 5 alpha decays happen.
I'm not sure what the answer could be, if anyone can help me that would be really appreciated. Thanks!