Lagunemiskäik

Lagunemiskäik, also known as decay chain or radioactive decay chain, is a sequence of radioactive decays of unstable isotopes. When a radioactive nucleus decays, it transforms into a different nucleus, which may also be radioactive. This process continues, with each successive decay producing a new isotope, until a stable isotope is formed.

The original unstable isotope is called the parent nuclide, and the subsequent isotopes in the chain are called daughter nuclides. The series of transformations continues until a nuclide is reached that is not radioactive. For example, the uranium-238 decay chain begins with uranium-238 and proceeds through a series of alpha and beta decays, eventually ending with stable lead-206.

Each step in a decay chain has a characteristic half-life, which is the time it takes for half of the radioactive atoms of that particular isotope to decay. The half-lives can vary significantly, from fractions of a second to billions of years. This variation in half-lives dictates how long each member of the chain persists before decaying further.

Decay chains are important in nuclear physics and geology. They are used to date ancient rocks and artifacts, as the relative abundance of different isotopes in a decay chain can provide a timeline of events. Understanding decay chains is also crucial for managing radioactive waste and for developing nuclear energy technologies.