107Pd107Ag

The decay chain 107Pd to 107Ag is a significant process in nuclear physics and astrophysics. Palladium-107 (107Pd) is a radioactive isotope that decays into Silver-107 (107Ag). This decay occurs primarily through beta decay, where a neutron within the 107Pd nucleus transforms into a proton, emitting an electron (beta particle) and an antineutrino. The resulting nucleus has one more proton and one less neutron, thus becoming 107Ag.

The half-life of 107Pd is approximately 6.5 million years. This relatively long half-life means that 107Pd is still found in nature, albeit in very small quantities, as a product of cosmic ray interactions with silver in the Earth's crust. It is also produced artificially in nuclear reactors. The decay of 107Pd is important in nuclear dating techniques, particularly for meteorites. The ratio of 107Ag to other silver isotopes can be used to determine the age of these extraterrestrial objects, providing insights into the early history of the solar system.

Silver-107 (107Ag) is a stable isotope. Therefore, the 107Pd to 107Ag decay chain represents a pathway from a radioactive isotope to a stable one. The presence of radiogenic 107Ag, originating from the decay of 107Pd, serves as a tracer for processes that have occurred over millions of years. This decay chain is a fundamental example of nuclear transmutation and its application in scientific research.