衰變產物

在原子核物理學中，衰變產物（也稱子核種、子同位素）是指一個放射性核種經過輻射衰變後形成的新核種。輻射衰變通常涉及一連串的衰變過程(稱衰變鏈)。例如，鈾-238(U-238)衰變成釷-234(Th-234)，釷-234(Th-234)再衰變成鏷234(Pa-234)，而鏷-234(Pa-234)再衰變成…，最終衰變成穩定的鉛-206(Pb-206):

由鉛212至鉛208的衰變鏈

${\displaystyle {\mbox{U-238}}\rightarrow \overbrace {\underbrace {\mbox{Th-234}} _{\mbox{daughter of U-238}}\rightarrow \underbrace {\mbox{Pa-234m}} _{\mbox{granddaughter of U-238}}\rightarrow \ldots \rightarrow {\mbox{Pb-206}}} ^{\begin{array}{c}{\mbox{decay products of U-238}}\end{array}}}$

${\displaystyle v}$

在這例子中，

• 釷-234，鏷-234m，…，鉛-206是鈾-238的衰變產物；
• 釷-234是鈾-238的子同位素；
• 鏷-234m (234 metastable)是鈾-238的[至孫同位素][?]。

These might also be referred to as the daughter products of U-238.^[1]

參考資料

1. Glossary of Volume 7 （頁面存檔備份，存於互聯網檔案館） (Depleted Uranium — authors: Naomi H. Harley, Ernest C. Foulkes, Lee H. Hilborne, Arlene Hudson, and C. Ross Anthony) of A review of the scientific literature as it pertains to gulf war illnesses.