Decay product

Remaining nuclide left over from radioactive decay

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->}}\overbrace {\underbrace {\ce {^{234}Th}} _{\ce {daughter~of~^{238}U}}{\ce {->}}\underbrace {\ce {^{234\!m}Pa}} _{\ce {granddaughter~of~^{238}U}}{\ce {->\cdots ->{^{206}Pb}}}} ^{\ce {decay~products~of~^{238}U}}} 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. Decay products are important in understanding radioactive decay and the management of radioactive waste.

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