In nuclear physics, a decay product (also known as a daughter product, daughter isotope, radio-daughter, or daughter nuclide) is the remaining nuclide left over from radioactive decay. Radioactive decay often proceeds via a sequence of steps (decay chain). For example, 238U decays to 234Th which decays to 234mPa which decays, and so on, to 206Pb (which is stable):
The decay chain from lead-212 down to lead-208, showing the intermediate decay products
In this example:
234Th, 234mPa,...,206Pb are the decay products of 238U.
234Th is the daughter of the parent 238U.
234mPa (234 metastable) is the granddaughter of 238U.
These might also be referred to as the daughter products of 238U.[1]
Decay products are important in understanding radioactive decay and the management of radioactive waste.
For elements above lead in atomic number, the decay chain typically ends with an isotope of lead or bismuth. Bismuth itself decays to thallium, but the decay is so slow as to be practically negligible.
In many cases, individual members of the decay chain are as radioactive as the parent, but far smaller in volume/mass. Thus, although uranium is not dangerously radioactive when pure, some pieces of naturally occurring pitchblende are quite dangerous owing to their radium-226 content,[2] which is soluble and not a ceramic like the parent. Similarly, thoriumgas mantles are very slightly radioactive when new, but become more radioactive after only a few months of storage as the daughters of 232Th build up.
Although it cannot be predicted whether any given atom of a radioactive substance will decay at any given time, the decay products of a radioactive substance are extremely predictable. Because of this, decay products are important to scientists in many fields who need to know the quantity or type of the parent product. Such studies are done to measure pollution levels (in and around nuclear facilities) and for other matters.
^Glossary of Volume 7 2017-01-03 at the Wayback Machine (Depleted Uranium — authors: Naomi H. Harley, Ernest C. Foulkes, Lee H. Hilborne, Arlene Hudson, and C. Ross Anthony) of A review of the scientific literature as it pertains to gulf war illnesses.
^Peh, W. C. G. (1996). "The Discovery of Radioactivity and Radium" (PDF). Singapore Medical Journal. 37 (6): 627–630. PMID 9104065.
decay, product, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, december, 2. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Decay product news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2007 Learn how and when to remove this template message In nuclear physics a decay product also known as a daughter product daughter isotope radio daughter or daughter nuclide is the remaining nuclide left over from radioactive decay Radioactive decay often proceeds via a sequence of steps decay chain For example 238U decays to 234Th which decays to 234mPa which decays and so on to 206Pb which is stable U 238 Th 234 daughter of 238 U Pa 234 m granddaughter of 238 U Pb 206 decay products of 238 U displaystyle ce 238 U gt overbrace underbrace ce 234 Th ce daughter of 238 U ce gt underbrace ce 234 m Pa ce granddaughter of 238 U ce gt cdots gt 206 Pb ce decay products of 238 U The decay chain from lead 212 down to lead 208 showing the intermediate decay productsIn this example 234Th 234mPa 206Pb are the decay products of 238U 234Th is the daughter of the parent 238U 234mPa 234 metastable is the granddaughter of 238U These might also be referred to as the daughter products of 238U 1 Decay products are important in understanding radioactive decay and the management of radioactive waste For elements above lead in atomic number the decay chain typically ends with an isotope of lead or bismuth Bismuth itself decays to thallium but the decay is so slow as to be practically negligible In many cases individual members of the decay chain are as radioactive as the parent but far smaller in volume mass Thus although uranium is not dangerously radioactive when pure some pieces of naturally occurring pitchblende are quite dangerous owing to their radium 226 content 2 which is soluble and not a ceramic like the parent Similarly thorium gas mantles are very slightly radioactive when new but become more radioactive after only a few months of storage as the daughters of 232Th build up Although it cannot be predicted whether any given atom of a radioactive substance will decay at any given time the decay products of a radioactive substance are extremely predictable Because of this decay products are important to scientists in many fields who need to know the quantity or type of the parent product Such studies are done to measure pollution levels in and around nuclear facilities and for other matters See also editDecay chainReferences edit Glossary of Volume 7 Archived 2017 01 03 at the Wayback Machine Depleted Uranium authors Naomi H Harley Ernest C Foulkes Lee H Hilborne Arlene Hudson and C Ross Anthony of A review of the scientific literature as it pertains to gulf war illnesses Peh W C G 1996 The Discovery of Radioactivity and Radium PDF Singapore Medical Journal 37 6 627 630 PMID 9104065 nbsp This nuclear physics or atomic physics related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Decay product amp oldid 1116906119, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
