Lõhustamisskeem

Lõhustamisskeem, also known as a fission scheme or decay scheme, is a visual representation used in nuclear physics and chemistry to depict the radioactive decay pathways of an unstable atomic nucleus. It illustrates the sequence of transformations an isotope undergoes until it reaches a stable state. A typical lõhustamisskeem shows the parent nuclide at the top or left, with arrows pointing to daughter nuclides. Each arrow signifies a specific type of radioactive decay, such as alpha decay, beta-minus decay, beta-plus decay, or electron capture. Along these arrows, the emitted particle or radiation is often indicated, along with its energy or the energy of the resulting gamma rays. The scheme also displays the half-life of each decay step, indicating how long it takes for half of the radioactive atoms to transform. Energy levels within the nuclides are often represented by horizontal lines, with transitions between these levels depicted by vertical lines, particularly for gamma ray emissions. The ultimate goal of a lõhustamisskeem is to clearly map out the entire decay chain, including all intermediate daughter products and the final stable end-product. These diagrams are crucial for understanding radioactivity, calculating radiation doses, and designing nuclear applications.