francium221

Francium-221 is a radioactive isotope of francium. It is a relatively short-lived isotope, with a half-life of approximately 4.8 minutes. Francium-221 decays primarily through alpha emission, transforming into astatine-217.

This isotope is an important member of the neptunium decay series, which begins with neptunium-237 and progresses through a series of alpha and beta decays until it reaches stable lead-205. Francium-221 is formed in this series from the decay of actinium-225.

Due to its short half-life and the fact that francium is a rare element, francium-221 is not typically found in significant quantities in nature. It is usually produced artificially in laboratories for research purposes. Its radioactive properties make it of interest in nuclear physics studies and potentially in certain medical applications, though its instability limits widespread use. The study of francium isotopes like francium-221 helps in understanding nuclear structure and decay processes.