Judging from Figure 33.22, how many alpha and beta particles are emitted in the series of radioactive decay events from a U-238 nucleus to a Pb-206 nucleus? Does it matter which path is followed?
Figure 33.22: U-238 decays to Pb-206 through a series of alpha and beta decays.

238 234 Th PaU 230 Th 226 Ra 2 222 Rn 218 Po At Pb Bi Po 214 TI Pb Bi e Po 210 206 TI Pb 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 Atomic number Atomic mass